Arcane Dissonance
by ObsidianPhantom
Summary: Two. It defined them perfectly. Two sides of a coin, two shades of the same color, two ends of a spectrum. It was only appropriate that they would share two very different agendas; one striving for salvation, the other a martyr's death. As they wade into deeper artifice not only will they contend with a millennia's old adversary but two determined pirates as well. Kid/OC, Law/OC.
1. Prologue

I've been reading fanfic's of One Piece for awhile now. I like to think that I have a pretty good grasp on some of the characters. This story here is just a crazy, leap of faith from yours truly. I do hope I don't fall and break my damn neck. That would suck. :P

Anyway, Me and my co-author, The Blonde Beagle, are attempting to write Law and Kid. And oh my God I've never been more scared in my whole life. They're some hard dudes to write! And I hate OOC! HATE IT! So please if in the future I lose my mind and write someone wrong shove a devil fruit down my throat and push me into the sea. And yes this will be a Law/OC, Kid/OC. I absolutely will not write Yaoi! Just no. No.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own One Piece. If I did you'd see me running around after Akainu with an angry mob. I will stop rambling now. So without further ado, Arcane Dissonance. XD

_Prologue_…

_ Shinsuitama_…

… _Baransuitama_…

…_Kinsuitama_…

…_Kaiketsuitama_…

Four names that have faded from the memory of the world. Like ash thrown to the winds they fell into the depths of time, and though they may be forgotten their essence still whispers within the minds of the Gifted.

Whispers of a time long past. A time before the rise of corruption and hate, a time where the world and its innocence remained untainted by tyranny. It was a peaceful world; the blood of man had not been spilled, nor had it turned on its brother. Mankind lived quietly and happily, however they were not the sole beings to inhabit such blissful ambience.

Living alongside them were the Four Great Sea Spirits. No one truly knows how they came to be, yet it was common knowledge to all that they belonged to the sea just as man belonged to the land. They were magnificent creatures. Winged beasts so massive, so mighty that to even catch a glimpse of one was looked upon as a sacred benediction. Amazed by these creatures of wisdom and strength man grew to revere their celestial neighbors as deities.

The coexistence between human and dragon was a contented one, each ruling their own domains while admiring and watching the other. And so paradise stretched over the decades.

But evil stirred in the wake of such happiness; it watched and waited, waited for that one opportunity to tip the scale.

An opportunity it found lurking in the hearts of the new generation. Youth had no experience, no resistance to the unseen hand of sin; with a touch here and a nudge there the seed was planted.

It would be many years of peace before the seed sprouted but evil was patient in its game.

Oblivious to the plot against them the Great Sea Spirits along with their mortal companions lived on. The new generation grew as all children do. Time past, new lives were made, new hopes and dreams molded the actions of children long gone from their parents strong embrace.

Ever vigilant of their offspring the parents watched, watched as the new generation grew wild and adventurous. No longer were they content to live as their elders had lived. To worship and admire from afar.

No. They sought the unknown and the dangerous. They sought the sea.

And so the new generation strayed from their domain. Strayed into territories not theirs to tread.

Shock and tragedy.

Pain and loss.

And finally—Death.

The Four Great Sea Spirits keened in horror at this onslaught of chaos the sea had wrought upon the mortals. They did not deserve such loss and the grief that came with it. They were gentle creatures not beasts of destruction, though the sea was wrathful at times it was not murderous. They would never purposely harm those who would show such devotion and love, never take something so precious as a soul.

Ashamed the Four Sea Spirits gathered all those that had been lost at sea and with pain in their hearts they lamented quietly the loss of life.

Evil cackled in sweet triumph. It chortled in its victory and danced around the bodies of the dead.

Enraged shrieks and snarls ripped from the Four Sea Spirits at this atrocity. This malignant force dared touch what had so tragically fallen. _It would not taint such innocence._

Evil grinned and smirked at them, _Oh but I already have._

The Four Sea Spirits glared at the inky blackness, hate shimmering in slitted eyes.

A stalemate.

A Stillness.

A decision.

As one the Four Great Sea Spirits turned their horned heads toward the sky. Their voices rose to the heavens, blending seamlessly into a roar for retribution. Within the depths of their eyes shown the flickering glint of the stars, the almost inconceivable amassing of power. Terrible power. The oceans raged around them, wind howled, and the earth shook and exploded—

Then it stopped.

Deafening silence.

The inky cloud of evil abruptly let loose a screech of rage and terror, recoiling back into the shadows. It hissed like a coiled snake at the corpses which were corpses no longer.

New life ascended, bodies warmed, hearts palpitated, and evil was beaten down by the awakening of the _Gifted_. For that was the decision. With the blessings of the sea the lost were reborn anew.

But not to humanity would they return; they woke to a new existence. One of hardened scales and freedom. Of endless flights and longevity. This was the gift. A selfless act. A giving of ones essence.

The Gifted rose to their feet, slowly, cautiously. Arms stretched, clawed fingers extended, and smiles brightened solemn expressions. Camaraderie borne of mutual circumstance and wonder bonded the Gifted together. And though they were not consciously aware of such an occurrence they instinctively accepted it.

Crowing in jubilation they rejoiced in their second chance, eternally grateful to the Spirits of the Sea.

Enlivened with life and friendship the Gifted returned to their former domain of land and soil. Cries of shock and relief prevailed followed by exclamations of awe as they retold the tale of their rebirth. Families reunited, couples kissed, and friends reconnected.

But darkness still lingered yet its source did not stem from evil. No, nothing so grand. This darkness crawled out of the hearts of man. Those few who did not delight in the appearance of the Gifted.

Instead they filled the air with acrid words of envy. Jealousy and hate festered between them, eyes dark with lust and greed. They craved for the power of the Gifted. Coveted it relentlessly. Why were they, the rulers of the land, not given the gift of_ immortality_. They were royalty, surely they had far more entitlement then those who'd been lost at sea. The kings could only view this thinking as the truth, being wrong was an impossibility to them.

Alight with anticipation they traveled to the nearest temple.

The Four Great Sea Spirits, though, had grown wise to any happenings of malice. They would never again allow such horror to befall a second time, and seeing the scourge of corruption in the souls of those twenty mortals had already sealed their fate.

They were not worthy of being a Gifted.

Anger, fury, and hate seared the veins of those twenty mortals. _They_ had been _denied_. They, the rulers had been told _'no'_.

_Failure._

It repeated itself like an unending mantra, rending and roiling until it grew too overwhelming for them to handle.

That one word opened the floodgates of wrath and damnation. It thundered and flailed like a live thing, wanting blood, wanting revenge. Suffering. And like loyal minions they dutifully unleashed it.

Twisted with undiluted fury the twenty kings ripped asunder the very existence of the Gifted. Hell descended unto the world once more, a world still not at all healed from its first calamity. Something so new, so pure and precious; it could not stand up to this reckless hate. And with the threat of annihilation looming over their heads the Gifted disappeared, drifted off into the abyss of time, soon forgotten by the world. Wiped clean from memory, from all those that had loved them so.

Gone. Vanished.

Without a trace.

But the presence of the Gifted still lurks within hidden shadows, their legacy unbroken despite civilization's refusal to acknowledge them.


	2. Advent Wyvern Sisters

**Disclaimer: **I don't own One Piece. I also don't own any Evans Blue lyrics. Or any lyrics I use in this story. There will be a lot of lyrics. Yay for song fics! But I do own all of my OC's. Any dragons described belong to Drag Cave. I'm borrowing them because they are awesome! XD

**Chapter 1: Advent Wyvern Sisters**

_"We will divide, we will remind you;_

_We will survive, we live inside you._

_We fade away._

_We blame._

_We hate._

_We criticize you!_

_We captivate the furious,_

_Deception our demise!"_

**Crawl Inside by Evans Blue**

_"Please! For the love of All Blue do not do this!"_

_"If you reveal yourselves…you'll be killed!"_

_"Big sis don't go!"_

_"This…this is suicidal! It will never work."_

_"We won't let you go, not when so many have already been lost!"_

_"Do you have a deathwi–"_

_"ENOUGH!"_

_The distressed cacophony of voices abruptly quieted, numerous bodies shifting at the authoritative command. Silence hung heavy, expectant, over a mass of a hundred or more people. They exchanged panicked glances between them before turning their gazes toward the one who'd spoken. _

_The silence continued, hope waging war with desperation in the breast of all those present. It was a collective feeling among them as they watched the form of an old wizened woman waddle to the center of their gathering. Her pale eyes never once left the two cloaked females, the glint in them tempered with ancient knowledge and… reluctant understanding._

_"You know the risks of what you're doing?"_

_Twin nods._

_"This path that you've chosen to tread will not be easy. Are you prepared for it?"_

_The two shadows nodded._

_Pale eyes stared hard into the cowl of both hoods for a long moment before slanting to the side, tired. Resigned. She would not be able to stop them. Not this time. Warm grey eyes returned to the two figures standing before her, a quiet pain set deep within her irises. An inaudible sigh shook her frame and her hands tightened around the staff in front of her._

_Voice low so only they would hear, "Are you prepared for the consequences?"_

_A pause._

_The two shrouded Gifted shuddered at the quiet words, the quiet warning. Heads tilted down slightly as if weighed by an invisible force. For a moment, an instance the Old One began to hope, to pray, that sense had returned to the two who were hurtling headlong into something even she could not comprehend. But such a hopeful feeling died when the two stiffened and with hidden looks to the other squared slender shoulders and nodded._

_Pale eyes slowly closed and the Old One could swear she heard the sound of a gavel impacting on wood; a sound of finality._

_Their fates had been sealed._

_Voice raising so all could hear, "Very well. I give you my blessing; may you ride the winds swift and safely."_

_With this exclamation shocked uproars flooded the congregation. Shouts of denial, grief, and fear speared the air, all of which were pointed at the three quiet individuals. They understood the gravity of the decision, attempting to explain it to those who would not listen was futile. So they stood, silent, allowing friends, family, and companions to exhaust and express their trepidation. So that when the time came to leave they would be able to take the suffering, the fear away. _

_Away with them._

_So it could not touch their precious people._

_The Old One looked up into the hoods of the two cloaked women. Meeting the luminescent eyes of both, eyes so very different yet very much the same as all those present. Only brighter, more dragonic. They glowed as if backlit by the sun. _

_She leaned upon her staff, eyes still trained on the two females. Taking them in, drinking in their appearances like all those surrounding them. They too knew what was coming and were loathe to let it runaway from them. Like the elder among them they took in the two standing before them. Imprinting, searing, burning the sight of them into their brains; in memory where they would not be forgotten._

_Never forgotten._

_Quiet sobbing and soft whimpers permeated the gathering. Minds once filled with the stain of denial were slowly moving on to acceptance. For they had no choice. Ever so slowly heads grasped the underlining meaning behind such a dangerous conquest. With the emergence of realization came absolution and the crowd once full of fearful chattering calmed and stilled._

_Cheeks wet with tears dried, fists unclenched, and shoulders relaxed as one by one the Gifted settled into resignation. Though they were not happy with the event about to transpire they was aware, at least in part, of the necessity of the decision. _

_A voice, clear and somewhat high in pitch, echoed around the vast clearing. _

_"Don't worry about a thing! We'll be back before you guys know it, and you know what? I'll even bring back some souvenirs! One for each of you!"_

_The mass of people could not see it but a wide smile brightened the face underneath one of the hoods. _

_The loud declaration had a ripple effect; it started out small, a slight giggle from a little girl. A chuckle from a man. But it soon snowballed into full-throated laughter, the kind that tipped burdens off hearts and comforted the soul. The laughter lasted awhile and even the Old One gave in, letting loose a few husky chortles._

_Then it quieted again, yet not with fear or desperation did the Gifted become silent but with benign expressions. They stared with soft gazes at the two who would sacrifice the very thing they cherished, all for the good of the whole. Them. The Gifted._

_They would sacrifice their own safety, their own identity to keep them safe. _

_Such deep devotion only endeared them more to their hearts. _

_Strengthened that bond made so long ago._

_But the time had come for a final farewell and…a departure. It was pure instinct that had the mass of people moving back, nostrils flaring, slitted eyes widening in collective delight. Everyone watched, spellbound, as two bodies were suffused by an ethereal light. It seemed to pour out from their pores and the air around them rippled like a mirage._

_Then it happened._

_The glowing frames began to grow, to elongate. Morph into something else._

_A reptilian-like body. Powerful._

_Smooth scales. Beautiful._

_Claws, spines, and horns. Deadly._

_Fangs and a serpentine tail. Intimidating._

_Wings. Freedom._

_When the change was completed the congregation bellowed and crowed in triumph. They were always happy to witness one of their own transform, to take the sacred form of their saviors. The Four Great Sea Spirits._

_The answering roars that followed rocked the very island beneath their feet, however, no gasps or screams of fear sounded at this monstrous display of power. Instead excitement and joy beamed from every face and it only escalated when the two massive creatures extended their wings, readying them for flight. _

_A surge._

_An updraft._

_A wingbeat._

_And then they were airborne. Rocketing into the sky vertically so rapidly the g-force would've knocked out any human. Coming out of the steep rise both dragons executed a smooth Chandelle, wings fully extended for maximum leverage._

_Those below continued to watch, silent, eyes trained on the mere dots that were their comrades-in-wings. With faces turned against the wind they heard the whisper. _

_It caressed their ears with a final assurance. A final goodbye._

_"Forget terror, forget pain; none shall touch the fragile balance of your existence. Though we've all kept the secret of our birth, of our Saviors, of our culture; I am afraid we cannot stay idle any longer. Better to lose the anonymity of a few than to compromise the whole. We refuse to let it happen."_

_"Let them think only two remain, let us become the protectors, the martyr's. Let the suspicion die with us. This cruel legacy steeped in blood and lies. Let it end and descend into hell with us as we drag their kingdom of sin down."_

* * *

**Present day, Sabaody Archipelago.**

"Please release me! _Someone! Anyone!_"

Gasps and exclamations of horror rent the air; citizens clad in a variety of attire backed away from the huge man. He flailed and screamed in the middle of the street, eyes wide and crazed with desperation. He was so far gone in hysteria that he lashed out, his large fist snatching a nearby girl in some semblance of urgency. self-preservation, perhaps.

The terrified babbling of the surrounding populous grew louder at this show of aggression. Disgusted murmurs of "escaped slave" and "where is its owner?" as well as fear for the 'captive' were expressed by everyone watching. The girl held by the pirate captain struggled and cried against the grip around her neck to no avail.

"Please let me go!" But the cry went unheard by the frantic male. The citizens made no move to rescue the girl caught between the slaves giant fingers, they knew not to get involved. Especially if it involved a pirate captain.

They knew of only one person who bought pirate captains.

…_The Tenry__ūbito_…

**_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_**

They had been moving at a reasonable pace towards Grove 31, yet were still quite a ways from the shopping district.

"Oi! I hear something!" howled one Strawhat Luffy from the seat of his bubble bike. His trademark grin stretching his face as it always was.

The remaining members of the Strawhat crew along with Hachi, Camie, and Pappug looked over to the ecstatic captain. The boy had been literally bouncing in his seat with leftover adrenaline from their race beneath the mangroves, hooting and hollering at _anything_ that caught his attention. This exuberance proved contagious leading to many smiles, giggles, and even a "YOHOHOHOOO!"

Chopper squeaked out another snicker before turning to Hachi, furry face curious, "So why are we headed for Grove 31?"

The octopus fishman slanted a look over his shoulder at the reindeer doctor, "I've been there before, it's a good place to shop for supplies."

Chopper accepted the answer with a smile, shifting a little on the giant bubble for a more comfortable position. He was delighted by the cool but gelatinous surface of the transparent globule. It was a nice balm against his fur when a hot wind blew past.

"Eh, I hear _something! _Oooh! Sounds like a party! LET'S G-"

Pappug leaped from his seat on Camie's shoulder to land a resounding _whap _on the rubber boys head. "There's no sound, idiot! None of us hear anything!"

Cue a moment of silence. Then the-

_"_…-_ et me go!" _

Screaming.

That did _not_ sound like a party.

Eyes widening the ragtag group of pirates halted all forward motion, caught off guard. They could suddenly hear what Luffy had complained about for the last ten minutes. It wasn't fun and fanfare. It wasn't loud cheering either. It was the type of caterwauling that came from someone in the grip of fear and disturbia.

"I…_I _…_WANT TO GO HOME!_"

The sobbing shriek jolted the little band back to their senses and they leaped into action immediately. Legs started to pump bike pegs and faces narrowed in determination.

Having listened to his instincts Luffy had already moved on ahead, speeding straight for the outcropping of buildings not but twenty or so meters away. His youthful face taut with concern and anticipation. He had a bad feeling in his gut. And usually his stomach was happy. Now it felt like it was flopping over and over making him slightly uncomfortable.

Luffy did not like the sensation.

Luffy disliked it even more when someone was in trouble. When they were _crying._

He'd just have to make it better then.

Hachi had to skid to a stop or else risk running Luffy over who'd abruptly stopped in the middle of the marketplace. The disturbance had only grown steadily louder as they approached. And if it was even possible more frenzied. Hachi and company leaned forward to see what had the agitated captain so engrossed. Further up the street loitered a mob of people garbed in the robes of Sabaody Archipelago; citizens. They were wailing and pointing at something further up the road.

The scent of fear and disgust was so strong it was nearly palpable.

Chopper and Camie gasped when a large man decked out in a brown overcoat and tan pants came into view. He looked insane, standing there with his wits no where in sight. The man moved erratically, head whipping side to side, mouth opening to let loose a loud bellow of despair. In one hand he held a blonde woman by the neck. But that wasn't what was shocking; it was the strange metal ring attached to the neck of the hysterical individual.

Camie's eyes widened in recognition at the sight before she hid her face in her hands. She didn't want to watch.

"An Axe! A saw! I'm _begging _you! Just get _this neck ring off me!_"

None of the citizens moved from their places. The stillness, or maybe the lack of assistance, seemed to push the struggling man over the edge. With a strangled shout he threw down his captive, tears of frustration pricking the corners of his eyes.

Luffy stared, black eyes focused, tinged with a hint of something mature not otherwise seen when he was smiling. At another shouted cry for help he made to walk forward_–_

"Don't get involved."

The warning came from a subdued Hachi who continued, "He's probably a pirate who got caught by slavers and was sold."

"Sold you say?" asked "Dead Bones" Brook, empty eye sockets somehow conveying anxious surprise. The three Strawhat pirates watched the commotion, all of one mind.

_Slaves? Slavery? No freedom._

That one thought had them consciously recoiling. They couldn't even imagine what the pirate in front of them had gone through. Just the thought was _haunting._

Beside Hachi Luffy swallowed, eyes intent, stomach strangely hollow. He wanted to help, _needed _to help to poor man. _Slave._ His jaw clenched at that, a temper rousing from inside him. He couldn't just stand by and let that man hurt like that. Hachi's voice slapped him back to the present.

"…wner most likely took him out for a walk and he made a run for it."

The Fishman stopped talking after that, eyes shut tightly, as if in pain. The voice that came from him was low and intense, rough with grief.

"_Even though there is absolutely no hope for escape!_"

This statement brought forth shock and identical expressions of confused distress. Hachi's eyes lowered to the ground; he could not meet the gaze of any of his friends. The reality of the island they had derived such happiness from was ugly and terrible and they were now facing it. There were no words of consolation for what they were witnessing.

The background noise of screaming became louder, more acute, more fearful. It drew the Strawhats from their reluctant realizations and they looked up. All of the people crowded around the pirate were suddenly running away. Their faces were pale and sweating with terror.

Then they heard it.

_Rk-ting._

_Rk-ting._

_Rk-ting._

"W-what's that sound?" questioned Chopper fearfully. It was a foreboding ticking that echoed and laughed in his sensitive ears.

No one answered him.

The enslaved pirate grew more crazed, his fingers biting and ripping at the collar hugging his neck. Eyes impossibly wide, mouth roaring in terrorized dismay. "_Damn!_ Damn it all to _hell! _This damned ring! Get it off! _Someone!_ PLEASE!"

_Rk-ting._

_Rk-ting._

_Rk-ting._

Luffy's body froze at the ominous sound, face slack with shell-shock. He couldn't move. He _had_ to move but his body wouldn't listen. It seemed to be rooted to the spot. He reached an arm out, for what he didn't know, to help possibly, to save…—

A sudden blast of wind had the band of pirates raising their arms to shield themselves. A strange noise like the flapping of a bird accompanied the torrent of air from behind them.

A shadow past over, shade in place of sunlight for a split second. Grimacing from under the protection of his forearm Luffy squeezed open an eye and stiffened.

Green. Green fabric.

Teal. Bright _glowing_ teal.

Like emerald wraiths they tore down the street, two bodies enfolded within the depths of dark green cloaks. They moved in complete synchronization with each other, stride for stride until they came abreast with their target.

The slave. The pirate.

It happened like quicksilver. To the common folk it appeared as a blur of motion. But Luffy and his friends saw the two strangers lunge out of their sprint at the shrieking man. Saw as the two used each other as springboards into opposite directions, namely the two sides of the pirate.

The one on the right snapped out an arm, slender fingers grabbing hold of the metal collar. The stranger used that hold to then swing itself around so its torso was parallel with the mans.

Everyone watched raptly as the unknown person seemed to pull back its arm, the cloak tenting at the elbow for a moment before shooting forward. Shocked gasps exploded from their throats when with the barest touch of two fingers (a jab) the ticking time bomb on the slave collar _deactivated. _

The ringing stopped.

"Hold still." It was a whispered directive. A calm command from behind the pirates head who quieted, expression slack-jawed and disbelieving. And then an odd somewhat _unsettling_ sound of sizzling met everyone's ears.

_**Clang!**_

The slave collar sat, half melted, on the ground.

Melted?

Numerous wide eyes rose to land on the second cloaked figure still perched on the back of the pirate. Now _they_ were slack-jawed and disbelieving.

"T-the slave! Its free!"

The citizens of Sabaody Archipelago reeled back in horror, some making a hasty retreat, others too caught up in the show to act on their fright. Back down the street Luffy and company stared, whether in awe or something else was to be decided. The rubber captains arm, though, was still outstretched. Still reaching in an effort to help; a testimony to just how fast everything had happened.

It hadn't even been a_ minute _between catching a glimpse of starlight eyes and the collar hitting the dusty ground. This fact sank into minds numbed over in shock and adrenaline. It sank slowly but surely, imprinting the gravity of the sheer _speed_ they had just witnessed and of skills they could not name.

They had no words to describe what had taken place seconds ago. No words. None.

Just a jab and a sizzle.

**_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_**

Skulley J. Liberty idly leaped down from the shoulder of the now free slave. Beneath the shadows of her hood beamed a wide smile and glittering brown eyes that strangely glowed teal near the pupil. With a bit of a skip to her gait she walked over to her partner-in-crime. The shrouded form of her best friend was slightly slouched inward, shoulders deceptively relaxed. But she knew better. Under the cloth of that cloak lurked something dangerous. And only she really knew just _how_ dangerous.

"So…what'd you use _this_ time?" The tone was light, questioning, with the distinctive edge of annoyed hostility. Underneath all the agitated menace, however, Liberty could sense the hint of genuine curiosity. No one could read Sonneillon B. Jillian like she could and she prided herself in that fact. Anyone else would likely get a claw through the chest or their guts strewn across the floor if they tried.

"Just a dose of Valerian."

"Oh really?"

Cue heavy sarcasm followed by a slight snicker.

"Yup, really."

An eyebrow twitched, and Jillian's voice rung low with warning, "_Lib_…"

But instead of a cowed response, raucous laughter belted out from under Lib's hood. So much so that she had to bend over and grasp her knees to keep from falling over in her mirth. Glancing up in-between explosive sniggers made her only laugh all the harder; eyes a mixture of blue-gray and teal glared down at her, the irritated flicker in them growing stronger.

It was fun to bug Jill.

_One_…_Two_…_Three_…_Four_…_Fiv_-

"_Would_ you just _tell_ me already! Stop being annoying!" hissed Jillian, voice tight with frustration. Clawed fingers fanned out repeatedly at her side, an action Lib did not fail to catch.

It was a quirk of hers that bespoke of approaching temper. She only did the motion if something was pushing her too close to snapping. Lib frowned at this bit of information; nothing that had happened in the last two hours had pissed off Jill enough to 'finger-fan'.

In an effort to stanch the mounting agitation in her friend Lib executed what she liked to call "Interference". It was a tact borne from many bad calls, disasters, dead people, and a sore Lib. Never let it be said that Skulley J. Liberty _enjoyed_ having to deal with an enraged blacked out Jill. It wasn't fun and the mess left behind was usually an _absolute bitch _to deal with. Ugh.

So she ran Interference. Hand disappearing within the folds of her cloak she grasped an empty needle from her chemical belt and flung it hard at Jillian. The effect was instantaneous.

Jillian dropped into a crouch her hand whipping out to catch the thin hollow needle aimed for her throat. Lips curled in a nasty smirk she brought her hand down and took a delicate sniff at the weapon. A moment later she rose to her feet, snorting, "Hydrofluoric acid."

"Yup."

"Hn. Clever. But now what do we do with tall, dark, and sedated?" Jillian stared up into the face of the pirate they had saved from head implosion. He was out cold from the dose of Valerian running around in his system and probably wouldn't wake for a couple of hours.

Jillian sighed softly in annoyance. That meant they would have to relocate him. Probably over to the Lawless groves where he could be hidden. It was a tireless business rescuing slaves. But she did derive pleasure from all the outraged 'owners'. Their reactions really were hilarious.

In somewhat of a good mood she made to turn to Lib but found she was conspicuously absent. A cursory glance at her environment found her friend surrounded by what looked to be a pirate crew. Ah. Her friend _loved_ pirates.

Ignoring all the people ogling her from the sidelines, they couldn't see her anyway, she stalked over to the group clustered around her best friend.

**_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_**

Jill appeared to be back to half-way sane.

Which was good. Very good.

She could relax, take in the sights, meet new people.

Like the ones currently boring holes in her and Jillian's cloaks. They looked like interesting people and she liked meeting interesting people. Sparing her friend a glance she skipped over to the group who surprisingly didn't back away from her. Hmm. Inhaling through her nose she took in their scents. It was an instinctive action. Natural.

The first and strongest scent was meat. Food.

_Weird._

It was associated with the fellow in rolled up jeans, navy blue sleeveless shirt, and a strawhat. He was young, maybe seventeen or eighteen with a lanky figure. Black hair, dark eyes. And he was as frisky as a puppy in his excitement. Liberty smiled at him as she approached by which he gave an answering grin so wide it stretched his cheekbones.

Lib had a feeling she would like him.

The next three scents were quite telling in the fact that they weren't human. While they were presently disguised as human folk her nose didn't lie. They were fishman, well except the female she was a mermaid.

The last two had her eyebrows climbing into her hairline. One scent didn't know whether to be human or animal while the other wasn't _even alive. _

_Say what?_

"Hi!"

Upon entering hearing range Lib was met with a shockingly tight bear hug and an explosive voice screaming in her ear. "SO COOL! HEY, GREEN LADY HOW DID YOU DO THAT! WHAT DID YOU DO? WHOSE YOUR FRIEND? YOU SHOULD JOIN MY CREW!"

The onslaught of blaring questions would've intimidated anyone else whereas it only made Liberty grin cheerfully. The crushing bear hug didn't bother her either; she gave the same type to Jillian all the time, despite her displeasure. She _hated_ hugs.

Laughingly Lib answered, "By being awesome. Injected a sedative into his bloodstream. Sonneillon B. Jillian. And I'll think about it."

Hearing a quick intake of breath, a gasp, Lib leaned on the boy's shoulder to look over him. He was slightly taller than her after all. The mermaid in disguise along with the…really, really cute…reindeer were giggling at them. Wow, the reindeer was really _adorable_.

The blue boy suddenly hopped back, giant grin splitting his face, "Hey! You never told me your name! I'm Monkey D. Luffy!

Glossing over the fact that he never gave her _the chance_ to speak her name she simply said, "Skulley J. Liberty!"

This sent Lib hurtling through a round of introductions that had her head whirling but no less happy.

"Hello, my name is Hachi and this is Camie and Pappug. It's nice to meet you." The greeting was mirrored by both mermaid and…starfish.

The last individual was rather…odd. A _skeleton_. A walking, talking,_ gentlemen _skeleton to be exact. "What a mysterious woman! My name is Brook. May I see your panties?" Or maybe not.

Lib blinked owlishly at that, not sure whether to take him seriously or not. Before she could take any feminine action, though, the little (cute!) reindeer flew at the skeleton screeching 'sexual harassing pile of bones' while mauling him with hooves repeatedly.

It was inferred that such a show of violence to ones crewmate was probably normal among the crew as no one moved to pull the little guy away. Rather they stood there in a half circle_ laughing_. She was beginning to really like this crew.

It wasn't long before they were happily conversing amongst each other. Trading information, telling short stories. Liberty learned that blue boy, Luffy, was the captain of a famous rookie crew, the Strawhats, and that there was six other members. She also learned that their ship was named the Thousand Sunny, Sanji was a flirt, Zoro liked to nap a lot, Franky was a cyborg, and their navigator was obsessed with money.

Luffy was quite the character. Definitely.

But there was something else…

Something special about him. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

A sudden snort from behind her had her new friends going quiet.

_Ah, there she is._

Without missing a beat, "Everyone! This is my friend Jill. Jill this is…"

And thus begins her _sacred_ duty of humanizing Sonneillon B. Jillian. She was a _horrible_ people person. She only hoped Jill wouldn't explode while meeting someone as loud and touchy as Monkey D. Luffy.

"WOW! YOU'RE SO COOL! HOW'D YOU MOVE SO FAST? CAN I SEE YOUR EYES! HOW DID YOU STOP THE COLLAR?"

_Oh God! Interference!_

**_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_**

**Grove 31, somewhere.**

Frightened whispers filled the air as one by one citizens of every shape and size fell to their knees in subservience. They dared not raise their gaze to those who passed for it meant certain death. They dared not gaze at the Celestial Dragons.

The World Nobles were out for their weekly stroll among the _common people_. And Grove 31 had been the lucky number picked for said outing. Only this time they were not out for recreational exercise. No, they were looking for a possession. A possession that had run off.

**_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_**

"Aren't you _cute!_"

Liberty had Chopper bear-hugged to her chest, squealing in happiness. _He was just sooo damn cute!_ Beside her Jillian shook her head thoroughly exasperated. Around them the Strawhats guffawed uproariously at their doctor who spazzed from all the attention.

"Aw-shucks don't say that. _Don't touch me! _I'm not cute at all. _Put me down bastard!_" The supposedly schizophrenic reindeer only caused more tumultuous laughter to break out. Even Jillian was so inclined to laugh along with everyone. It was just_ that _funny.

Until Hachi caught sight of people falling to their knees, heads bowed.

Body tensing, fear raising he grabbed Camie and Pappug before dropping to his knees. "Everyone get down! Get down like all the others! Hurry!"

The Strawhats stared at Hachi before looking around, taking note that everyone left in the area really was kneeling. Luffy scratched at his head in confusion, "Oi, why are you on the ground? Nami always yells at us_–_"

"Now! Mugiwara!"

Luffy's eyes widened at the stark _fear _audible in Hachi's rushed demand. Slowly, gaze never leaving his friend he sat on the ground, mind for once noticing the fine trembling wracking Camie's slender form. That uncomfortable flopping motion suddenly began again in his stomach; something bad was coming.

"You four! Get down!" Hachi barked at the people still standing. Chopper and Brook yelped before diving for the ground behind Luffy. But Liberty and Jillian stayed upright, unmoving. Long dark cloaks completely enshrouding all but the outline of their bodies; it gave them the appearance of mossy statues.

Liberty and Jillian stood motionless under the fabric of their cloaks, waiting. They had heard_ them _coming for a while, yet had said nothing. They could also sense the tension hanging rank in the air like a rotten rabbit on the road. Disgusting.

Bouncing on the balls of her feet Lib abruptly pivoted, an unseen mischievous grin curling her lips as she walked back to the sedated form of the freed slave. The kneeling citizens watched her in muted horror.

She wasn't_ bowing_.

_They_ weren't bowing.

Jillian leaned over her and Liberty's new friends, enough so that the shadow obscuring her face dissipated. Piercing blue-teal eyes set in a pale oval face stared at them, the slitted gaze both enthralling and disturbing in its intensity. What was more amazing was the shock of luminous teal hair growing from her head. It slipped free of the hood to hang around her neck before she pushed it back beneath her cloak.

That was not normal hair…

Jillian snorted privately to herself. It never got old; revealing what she looked like under the cloak. Human reactions were entertaining and she didn't mind a bit of an ego boost here and there. She deserved it with all the hell she put herself through.

"Meh!"

Lib was calling which meant_ they _were nearly upon them. With that thought going through her head came the upwelling of malicious anticipation. It had, after all, been a long time since they had shown their faces in Sabaody Archipelago.

Twisting on her toes Jillian prowled back over to her partner. Over her shoulder, "No need to fear merfolk. Just sit back and watch the show."

Luffy and company stared, wide-eyed, after the form of Sonneillon B. Jillian. How had she known? Could it have something to do with the fact that she - they - weren't human. Humans did not have slit pupils, not unless they had a devil fruit.

And from earlier conversation they had learned that no such fruits had been eaten.

So what were they?

**_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_**

"You just _had_ to show off didn't you!" Skulley J. Liberty huffed, hip cocked out and stance filled with annoyance. The hood covering her friends face turned in her direction, an audible scowl in the voice, "Hey, back off Miss-he's-so-_adorable_. If I want to strip and give a show I'll strip and give a show! Hmph."

"Y-you are so impossible! Uh! And quit it with all the innuendo's you dirty-minded lizard!"

"Oh really! I'm the one with the dirty mind? Ha! Yeah right! Whose the one who made that comment about 'flying naked' over West Blue! Who?"

"What? I didn't say that! You did!"

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did!"

"Bullshit."

"Hog-sloth!"

"What does that even _mea–_"

"_Who_ is making that _infernal_ racket? I demand to know at once!"

Two pairs of teal eyes locked, a sinister twinkling flaring at the haughty feminine voice.

_Saint Shalulia officially onto the scene, _thought Liberty with a belligerent smile. The voice of the _Celestial Dragon _had been somewhat distant meaning they hadn't seen their runaway _possession_ yet. Oh but when they did. That's when the fun started.

Jillian smirked, her fangs peeking through.

A pause.

Silence.

A gasp.

Then, "Ah, there it is father. It must've regained some sense, waiting for us to come retrieve it."

The two Gifted had to repress snickers. The World Nobles hadn't even realized it yet. How pathetic.

"See to it that it is disciplined immediately. If you had trained it better this wouldn't have happened." said the elder World Noble, Saint Roswald with a disdainful sniff. Both Jill and Lib rolled their eyes at the statement. It was absolutely _dripping _with pompous arrogance. It never failed to utterly repulse them whenever they heard one of _them_ speak. They never had anything good to say but for themselves. It made Lib want to bite off her own ears and left Jill itching to kill something.

"Slave, come to your mistress," ordered the sole female Celestial Dragon.

There was no movement from the pirate captain and the two cloaked figures silently relished in the defiance. Even if the man was unconscious and unknowing of his offence. Anything that pissed off the ugly bulbous figureheads of Sabaody Archipelago was well liked by Jillian and Liberty.

"Slave! Did you not hear your master? I could have you whipped for such impu_–_…What happened to your collar!"

_Now_ they see it. Blind idiots.

_Show time!_

With matching grins the two Gifted sauntered out on either side of the slouched over man, hooded faces staring straight at the two _saints_. They had, of course, no idea there was anyone hiding behind the large pirate and so were quite startled.

Which means they got quite angry. There were two _common people_ standing after all. Oh the_ horror_.

"W-what? _How dare you!_ We are the Celestial Dragons! Bow before us _at once!_"

Quiet gasps sounded from all the citizens at the sheer _audacity_ of the cloaked beings. Both seemed to ignore the command as they remained standing.

"Well, hello to you too. Quite the welcome you got going here. I'm rather surprised, I mean who better to give such a warm hello then the Celestial Shitbags." Liberty nearly burst out laughing at that. Jillian was laying it on thick. Which was understandable. Her hatred for the Celestial Dragons knew no bounds.

It was hilarious to watch Shalulia blow up like an overripe tomato. Roswald was just icing on the cake. "You dare insult a World Noble! What _impudence!_" seethed Roswald.

"Oh, we _so _dare. It's really a hobby actually," Liberty said with a smile, voice a mocking rendition of happy conversation. The giddy tone seemed to incense the two further as Shalulia went to pull out her firearm.

"You…you dare speak back to us! We are the Tenryūbito— We _own_ the lives of you_ filthy _commoners!" An ugly snarl contorted Shalulia's face as she leveled the gun at the two shadowed women. For they were too slender to be anything else. They dared defy _her_. They dared defy _her father!_

They were surprised yet again by the lack of reaction. The utter lack of fright or groveling that should've been happening by now was absent. Void. Roswald stared at the two strangers hidden beneath dark green mantles. They were still, completely unafraid it seemed. Like the gun, like_ death_, did not scare them. He frowned at this; something niggled in the back of his mind, something familiar. He could see _nothing_ of the forms hidden by the heavy fabric of the veils. Idly, he began to wonder what sort of pathetic creatures would willingly throw their lives away - what did they look like? It was a small curiosity compared with the size of his outrage but he saw fit to indulge in it before both of them died.

"Before my daughter kills you for your blasphemous transgressions I would see your faces."

Nothing happened for a long moment. Nothing. No movement.

Except a laugh.

A strangled, horribly repressed laugh that sounded more along the lines of a strange snort. It was followed closely by a quiet snide snicker. "I'm actually quite shocked. Wow, I didn't know you knew the meaning of the words 'blasphemous' or 'transgression'. They must be teaching you something other than how to be an arrogant ass-licker. Keep it u—"

_**Bang!**_

**_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_**

Both Liberty and Jillian knew the exact moment the bullet left the barrel; they could smell the build up of lactic acid in the arm muscles leading to the pulled trigger. So it was easy to deduce the time needed to safely dodge and relocate. As in a whopping two feet away.

They were conscious of their friends, the Strawhats, behind them watching intently. They'd probably seen them move rather than the blur civilians were privy to. Or in other cases, shitbags.

"Hey! That was really, really rude! Asking us something and not even saying please! Sheesh, where are your manners?" Questioned Liberty, hooded face tilted back as if she were looking down her nose.

"How! How did you do that? How did you disappear?" shouted Shalulia angrily. She glared at them hatefully, smoking gun clenched between her fingers. She had been so sure one of them would be shot dead but there they were both still standing. Still _breathing_. She wanted them _dead_. And she wanted them dead _now!_

"Why don't you just die already!" hissed Shalulia.

Jillian stepped forward at that statement, knowing the gun was useless. It was a one hit wonder as all guns were. "Why don't _you?_" murmured Jill, the edge of growl roughening her voice, darkening it.

Roswald's eyes widened at the sound. It wasn't the type of growl a human would make when angry or agitated, no, this had sounded more feral. More animalistic. A distant memory suddenly assaulted him.

A memory of ancient tales.

Of twenty kings.

Of sea spirits.

Of human-dragon hybrids.

_The Gifted._

Saint Roswald's eyes bulged behind his glasses. That familiarity nagging at him. It was _them! _They had returned! The wretched creatures his ancient ancestors had tried to vanquish. The Gifted as they were called. He remembered his father and his grandfather telling stories about them. How they had stolen the immortality of their forefathers. It was_ unforgivable!_

Voice lashing out thunderously, "_YOU!_" His enraged shout halted the back-in-forth pissing contest between the Gifted and his daughter. Everyone stopped to stare at him, he _was_ breathing rather heavily.

"Us." Lib and Jill retorted in unison, slow devilish smiles curling their lips. Finally. "So…you finally remember. After all this time we were getting a little worried." Jillian slumped a little under her cloak, a mocking pretense of relief.

"_You wretched bags of sin! _Show me your faces! I _DEMAND_ IT!" Roswald roared, whipping out his gun and pointing it at the closest target. Neither cloaked figures moved at the threat. Clenching his teeth furiously he pulled the trigger.

But the target was gone.

He had blinked and they were gone.

His anger surged at that. Where had they-

"Oi! Bastard! Look _up!_" As the irritating shrill tone hit his ears, everyone else did just that; they looked up. The marketplace was suddenly in an uproar.

There hovering in the air forty or so feet above them, lazily flapping huge serrated wings were Jillian and Liberty. Said wings did not sprout from their backs, instead they appeared rather wyvern-ish with their arms partially transformed. Surprisingly they held between them the freed slave who had yet to awaken.

With Cheshire cat grins cracking their faces Jillian and Liberty threw back their heads, wind from the beating of their wings ripping the hoods of their cloaks back. Let the Celestial Shitbags look all they want now. Even from such a height the intensity of their coloring could be seen. Neon teal hair and eyes were quite prominent.

Glowing slitted eyes glared challengingly at the two World Nobles, "We want you to _remember_ this moment you pieces of turncoat _filth_."

And with a farewell grin to the Strawhats they flew away leaving awed silence and two very humiliated, very angry Celestial Shitbags.

**_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_**

**Marine Headquarters, Grove 60.**

Monkey D. Garp sat languidly back in his chair, mouth set in a bored frown. All the paperwork that had hit his desk that morning were signed and ready to go. He _hated_ office work. Hated. It. Period. He'd rather be training new recruits; there's nothing like a good dropkick to the ass to jump-start a mans career as a marine.

Garp sighed into the silence. Oh how he wished something would happ—

A sudden door slamming open accompanied by a shouted, "_Vice Admiral Garp! Vice Admiral Garp_!" had the man shooting up from his seat. The young marine who'd barged into his office - _hadn't even knocked, how rude! Kids these days! -_ was panting and sweating, face red and pinched from adrenaline. Garp stared at the private thanking his lucky stars that _something_ had finally happened. _Goodbye, boredom!_

"Well! What is it already?" Garp mentally cackled when his booming voice sent the poor man into near hysterics. Gasping, "T-they…they're back! They sa-said they're…back!"

Garp felt the beginnings of unease stir in his gut. And it wasn't hunger. What was going on? Who were _they? _Were they under attack? "Calm down private! Tell me what's happening?"

That seemed to shake the marine from his mini-freakout. Swallowing, the nameless man straightened while inhaling deeply several times. He wiped the nervous layer of sweat from his forehead before replying, "Sir! Around 1335 hours we received an urgent call from Mariejois! Saint Roswald reported that he and his daughter, Saint Shalulia, had an encounter with the Gifted! They are requesting an S.A. Alert immediately."

Garp slowly sat back down, the unease in his stomach roiling full throttle. So their rotation had finally brought them back to Sabaody Archipelago. After two-hundred-forty-three years of relative silence they'd returned to wreak havoc. He'd only the heard the stories of their last visit; two dead Admirals and a mutilated Celestial Dragon. The stories weren't pretty.

And with so many big-shot pirate crews, the Supernova's, around things were about the get heated. The request for an S.A. Alert was really the _worst _course of action in this situation. A better decision would be to keep news of the Gifted _away _from lawless ears. Obeying Saint Roswald's request would only inform all the scoundrels in the area that a legend older than the Pirate King wasn't myth.

Garp slumped back in his chair, at an impasse. He ignored the private still standing at attention in front of his desk by way of opening a side drawer. He rooted around for second before pulling out an old yellowing piece of paper: a bounty poster. He set it down with a hefty sigh. It was a strange bounty poster in that there wasn't a picture of just one person. It was controversy among the World Government whether they was real '_people_' at all. For there was no one _alive_ who'd seen them human.

Wait. Garp frowned in confusion. If Saint Roswald and his daughter had encountered the Gifted wouldn't they be dead? Over the centuries the stories passed down the ranks of the marines always involved the death of Celestial Dragon at the hands of the Gifted. Yet the two saints were alive. Garp rubbed at his face, suddenly tired, suddenly wishing he was bored again. This was too much deep thinking. He wanted a nap.

Sighing, he stared down the two photographed dragons. One had its head lowered fanged jaws spewing wicked flame over the deck of a marine vessel. The second had its wings fully outstretched, head thrown back in a roar. The picture showed its deadly claws imbedded into the hull of the ship.

Waving a dismissal at the private Garp continued to stare at the bounty, face set in grim lines.

"What are you up too, Wyvern Sisters?"


	3. Wyvern Sisters Unveiled

**Chapter 2: Wyvern Sisters Unveiled!**

_"Enlighten me, reveal my fate,_

_Just cut these strings that hold me safe._

_I chase the sun,_

_It chases me!_

_I follow you,_

_You follow me!"_

**Follow by Breaking Benjamin.**

A new day on Sabaody Archipelago dawned bright and sunny. It was a day like any other, filled with rich gossip, wares being sold, and the usual clamor from both citizens and pirates alike. Everyone went about their business albeit noisily.

A loud buzzing _static_ pierced the din.

It was an insistent all consuming sound that had everyone pausing._ Everywhere. _Strangely enough the sound did not stem from something supernatural; Den Den Mushi's from all over the island were wide awake with eyes open and mouths blaring.

And just like that the general cacophony turned to a literal snake pit of chaos and confusion. People shouted and yelped whilst grabbing their personal Transponder Snails, the calmer sort sat back listening and watching the surrounding uproar, while others glared and frowned at the interruption.

Fingers pushed and jabbed 'Stop' buttons in an attempt to quiet the disturbing high pitched drone. Nothing seemed to work.

Fuzzy static suddenly became louder, and more acute before it cut off.

…

"_This is an urgent broadcast from Marine Headquarters, Grove 60! Repeat! This is an urgent broadcast from Marine Headquarters, Grove 60! The Wyvern Sisters have been sighted within Sabaody Archipelago! Possessions are recommended to be kept indoors at all times. Do not approach and provoke. Repeat! Do not approach and provoke_…"

_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_

Basil Hawkins, the "Magician" sat quietly in a little out-of-the-way restaurant. He idly took in his crews chatter with calm red eyes, his hands busy shuffling his tarot deck skillfully. His men were conversing about the other ten Supernova's lurking somewhere on the island; their strengths and weaknesses, and the rumors circulating around them.

_Shuzzzzz_…

The Hawkins Pirates tensed at the intrusive buzz, and as one all turned to stare at the still form of their captain. Basil Hawkins stopped shuffling slowly, set his deck down, and reached into his pants pocket. His hand revealed a small compact Transponder Snail with its mouth open.

They all stared, expectantly, at the snail. It wasn't the only Den Den Mushi making the odd noise. With a simple cursory glance it was obvious that others were having the same experience.

Then it stopped, followed by, "_This is an urgent broadcast from Marine Headquarters, Grove 60! Repeat! This is an_…"

Brows furrowing the "Magician" frowned down at the snail. He'd heard the name _Wyvern Sisters _before but it was from an old wives tale, a mere child's fantasy. Nearly every pirate out there knew the legend but disregarded it; a deceptive fluke cast by the World Government to scare rogues away from the sea. For who would believe a truth depicting two _dragons_ flying around for _hundreds of years _causing chaos.

Though would it be prudent to believe the World Government would create a false bounty for something that _wasn't_ attacking them. Surely the world would be a lot more…informed of such beasts if they really were flying around. Surely.

Unless they covered it up.

Basil Hawkins ignored the new conversation brought on by the broadcast in favor of picking up his deck. He shuffled as he had before. A moment later he set it down picking three cards off the top as he did so. Gingerly he placed them face-up on the table.

_The Knave of Holy Water._

_Ten of Stakes._

_The Tower._

Thoughtful red eyes beheld the three cards, reading their meanings silently. The "Magician" blinked, eyes widening subtly. If the tarot deck was correct then the broadcast and everything in it…was true.

…_Something that is alluring and magically influential but that may not be what he, she, or it seems_…

…_A resurrection of what is forgotten or in the past_…

…_The shattering of illusion, a rude awakening, or a flash of insight that is enlightening_…

The barest hint of an intrigued smile touched Basil Hawkins face. It went unseen by his crew.

_It seems matters are about to get interesting soon._

_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_

_"_…_broadcast from Marine Headquarters, Grove 60! The Wyvern Sisters have been sighted within Sabaody Archipelago! Possessions are recommended to be kept ind_…_"_

A group of men in white baggy boiler suits listened raptly, eyes trained on the form of a yellow Den Den Mushi. It was impossible to see their expressions as they were covered by their hats. That was the one distinguishing factor among the Heart Pirates. Hats.

The man who sat dead center in this congregation of white was quite colorful. The only article of white on him being the furry spotted hat sitting atop his head. Like his crew the hat hid his expression, throwing shadows on a pair of cold grey eyes.

Trafalgar Law, the "Surgeon of Death" reclined comfortably on a wooden crate, face cool and composed, lips pulled in that trademark smile he was so well known for. He too listened to the broadcast. How could he not when it was playing from every transponder snail in the vicinity. How could he _not_ when his interest was irrevocably aroused. Of course he'd heard the stories, and he wondered and speculated like everyone else at such fantasy.

Grey eyes darkened then, a sinister air curling that smile into something _dangerous. _Law leaned forward, idly steepling his fingers, mind working over the message like a well oiled machine. If these _Wyvern Sisters _were in fact real, well, he'd just have to make sure they _encountered_ each other.

For who could resist the chance to approach such _infamous_ beasts. _Dragons to be precise._

At that thought Law's smirk widened. And behind smoky grey eyes gleamed something dark, something bloodcurdling. That devious mind of his hidden under layers of artifice continued to work, plotting, planning.

Sabaody Archipelago was big, but not so big as to _hide_ the massive bodies of two dragons. Not from _him_. A sudden epiphany had his smirk falling off his face, a frown taking up residence. If there _were_ two dragons flying around wouldn't there be news of it, news of their whereabouts? The people here were the rich of the rich; weak and selfish they cared only for their own lives. Self-important nobles they were, so where was all the gossip. Where was all the mass panic. Oh, he sensed fear but it wasn't the type of fear following a brush with death or a meeting with the creatures. It was fear garnered by the broadcast. By the unknown.

Law stared, gaze distant and contemplative. The idea that the Wyvern Sisters might possess an _alternate form_ was intriguing. _Humans_, possibly. A bemused chuckle slipped past his lips, his eyes slanting to take in his crew who were too busy discussing the transmission to notice his perusal.

Casually, the "Surgeon of Death" leaned back posture relaxed, confident. The smile was creeping back, leaking into his features slowly; a disturbingly smooth facade concealing a sleeping giant.

If they did possess the ability to turn human, than the better for him, he always loved a challenge.

_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_

It was a dark place, smelling of stale alcohol and alive with the _chinking_ of glasses. As long as the grog was close in-hand everyone was content. At least until a fight broke out over something or other. They were pirates after all. Who else would be sitting in a muggy dim bar deep in the lawless groves? All in all there were three crews present throwing back mugs of beer, auras of fragile tolerance with each other hanging tense in the air.

One crew in particular exuded more of an agitated menace than a sense of tolerance for the others. It gave the impression of a tightly coiled wire, wrought with tension, just waiting, _waiting_ for something to come, upset its balance, and _snap!_

This crew just so happened to be the Kid Pirates. Respectively headed by Eustass "Captain" Kid. Bounty of 315,000,000 beli and top Supernova because of it. Said red head was currently glaring into his mug of grog, dark red eyes narrowed in growing irritation.

It was too quiet.

Too quiet for Kid.

Lips painted a dark purple curled into a snarl. A moment later a pale skinned hand slid to a slim bandolier holding a dagger and a flintlock gun. The hand pulled the dagger from its sheathe, and those predatory red eyes began scouring for a target. Or a victim.

Those same eyes stopped on the form of a fellow Supernova. _Scratchmen Apoo, eh._

Cruel lips stretched into a grin of maniacal anticipation. It was a wide vicious thing that had the rest of the Kid Pirates staring. Then they too began grinning. Oh yes, bloodshed,_ fun_, was fast incoming.

_**Shuzzzzz**_…

The abrupt entrance of sharp distorted sound came like a spear strike. Fast and almost deteriorating. It was successful in derailing the murderous thoughts of Eustass Kid. It was also successful in wrenching everyone's attention to their Den Den Mushi's.

With a confused snarl Kid rounded on his coat. Hands ripped open a pocket before retreating, snail in hand. It was hacking out that_ irritating _noise which was giving him a goddamn headache. Kid hated, _absolutely hated _headaches. The fact that every other snail nearby was making the same awful racket was only oil to the fire of his anger. And Kid found that his fuse was rather short as of late.

_Too many fucking people staring!_

So far no one had died yet from this mistake, but whether that was a good thing or not was unknown. In a foul mood Kid was about to slam the loud annoying thing into the table when it quieted. Then there was a voice.

_"_…_Sisters have been sighted within Sabaody Archipelago! Possessions are recommended to be kept indoors at all times. Do not approach_…_" _

Kid stared. His crew stared. Hell,_ everyone _stared. As children it was a bedtime story, as adults it was a myth. A legend weaved by the Government for whatever reason. A reason Kid didn't care for. What he did care for was the massage that had just played and its content. Content that put a whole new perspective on the tale.

Well, there had to be an inkling of truth _somewhere. _Marines would never just attack their own for the sake of fabricating false stories. So the strange and often fantastic fables of two _dragons_ actually _existing_ and causing chaos every so hundred years had to hold some truth. Had to be _real._

Kid surprisingly put the Transponder Snail down without harming it. No, he was too distracted for that lost as he was ruminating about such a big development.

"Uh, Captain?" questioned a man with a blonde mohawk. He was a rather broad man shoulder-wise named Spine. His somewhat wary query was sufficient enough to bring Kid back to the present. Who immediately started smirking.

The Kid Pirates, again, stared. A smirking Kid was never a good thing, especially if he was smirking at _someone_. That meant you were going to _die_. But when he was smirking at _nothing_ it was usually about something his mind had cooked up. A scheme or…information.

Eustass Kid leaned back in his chair, smirk lending a foreboding edge to his appearance. Like a predator who'd found the right position of attack and was therefore satisfied.

"Men, look out for some dragon bitches." Every one of his crew perked at the order and the prevision behind it. They could suddenly feel, maybe even sense the heavy anticipation and curiosity coming from their captain. One thing was for sure.

A curious Kid was a dangerous Kid.

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**Meanwhile...**

"We should've hid him in a tree," Liberty muttered quietly, tone dripping with sullen rancour. It had been after they had made their airborne getaway that they'd found themselves flying randomly around the lawless zone. Carrying quite the bit of cargo, _weighty_ cargo. And if that wasn't bad enough a wound not otherwise felt due to the rush of adrenaline started making itself known. Painfully.

They'd been flying around looking for a nice hiding spot for the pirate captain when like a hole in a kite Jillian went down. Bullet wounds aren't fun. They bleed, they hurt, and in some instances damage wings. And so they'd had to find a hiding spot on _ground_ level.

"Lib, he's _fine_ where we left him." grumbled a very disleveled, very cantankerous Jill. She walked behind her best friend, stride slow and jerky. A tight grimace darkened her face as she remembered her injury.

_It's what I get from trying to catch a bullet. _

Huffing, Jillian gripped the wound harder, pressurizing the puncture lesion. If there was one thing she despised it was the vulnerability of being _human_. No hardened scales to protect you, no wings to fly with, and no fire to breathe. It was nearly asking the Fates to kill you. And she liked living.

Of course there were benefits to being a Gifted when in human form. Temperature didn't bug as much, senses were heightened, and claws and fangs were still usable. She guessed it was _okay_ to be human, still sucked to be hit anywhere in the arms or hands though. A sweet spot for pain it was. And even worse if you were hit like she was. Right smack in the middle of the palm.

Jillian scowled down at her right hand, eyes roving over the bruised fingers, and the angry red skin near the entry wound. There were still red stains from all the blood she'd lost, probably why she was feeling so tired.

_Fuck blood loss! Stupid Celestial Shitbags! _

_I swear I'd rip your damn throat out with my teeth!_

_Arrgh-_

"Meh!" Jillian startled at the shout, head whipping up to see Liberty standing a few meters away. Oh. She'd gotten lost in her thoughts again. _Not my fault._ Scowling deeper she started walking again till she came abreast with Lib. It was only then that she noticed they were stopped at the bottom of a very long staircase. Ah. It _had_ been a long time since they'd been to see old friends. Shakky and Rayleigh would be happy to see them. Especially with the surprise in store. No one, not even they had seen them human.

So they'd be quite shocked to see two women walking into the Rip Off bar.

"Do you need more Meadowsweet? You're scowling a lot more." said Lib while glancing at Jillian's clasped hands. The cream colored paste of Filipendula seeping out from between the two palms was speckled with red. They would need actual bandages soon. The wound needed proper tending.

"I'm fine. Let's just go." Oh yeah Jill was in pain. How she knew that? Well, after spending the last _eight hundred years _running around together Liberty was an expert at_ understanding _what Jill said and more importantly what she_ didn't _say. The less words Jillian used to talk the more angry, in pain, or tired she was.

Good thing Shakky's bar was nearby.

Shakuyaku, or Shakky was lazily scrubbing at a stubborn coffee stain on her bar top when she heard her door open and close. Meaning: costumers, possibly pirates and/or people looking for some payback. Raising her gaze to see who'd come in was met with perplexed staring. And some blinking, too.

It's not everyday a bartender gets two cloaked people for costumers. Two cloaked _women_ to be exact. Shakky idly wondered at the reason for said cloaks.

Smiling kindly, "What can I get you two?" She watched as the two seemed to look at each other, something passing between them. Shakky furrowed her brow, sensing that there was more going on here.

And then the one on the left brought up a hand and slid the hood back.

For a moment Shakky stared uncomprehendingly. It was the angular facial structure, the strong build, the short teal hair; it just wasn't connecting until she got to the eyes. Warm brown surrounding a ring of bright electric teal. There was only one person, one_ creature _who had eyes like that.

"_Skulley J. Liberty! _Is that you!" exclaimed Shakky, dark brown eyes wide with surprise and excitement. She jumped clean over the bar to saunter over to the tall woman, a smile of happy shock stealing over her face.

When she got close enough she enveloped her old friend in a tight but short hug, stepping back some to see the body, the_ human _body that should've been a mythical creature. But no, here she was, human and smiling like usual. The fangs were still there but it was a wholly human smile. Blunt teeth and all. If Liberty wasn't showing some kind of elation, happiness, or giddiness than something was definitely wrong with the world.

Shakky turned to the second figure, still hidden under a green mantle. Sonneillon B. Jillian had always been the quieter one, if you let her she'd just fade away into the background. But Shakky had been visited by these two enough to know how to handle such a complicated person.

Head tilted slightly, smile still in place, "Hello, Jillian. It's been quite awhile. I hope Lib hasn't been driving you too crazy?" This particular statement was quickly followed by a huff from the latter and a shrug from Jill.

A pause.

The green cloak enshrouding Jillian rustled and rose, a hand showing, reaching to push back the heavy hood. Long teal hair spilled out to hang by a pair of slender shoulders. Long bangs framed a pale oval face holding two bluish-teal eyes. Jillian's usual expression consisted of keen observance, mild annoyance, all tinged with a sort of brooding quality that made most people very uncomfortable in her presence.

Strangely enough her expression didn't hold any of these. That was when Shakky noticed the blood coating the visible hand. Sighing she cut a look to Liberty who rolled her eyes and sighed right along with her.

One thing to know about Sonneillon B. Jillian; she did_ not _like asking for help. Often times Shakky saw the two beings before her arguing over an injury that had been allowed to go bad. That was another notable thing; bickering, or in their terms, playful banter, was always lurking around the corner in any conversation they had. It was entertaining to watch.

"Well, come in, get comfortable. I'll go in the back and get the bandages so we can wrap that wound." Shakky said good-naturedly while walking back over to her bar.

Liberty and Jillian did just that, well, after exploring the inside first. As dragons they were too big to even_ try _to fit through the front door. Finished with their self-imposed reconnaissance they took seats at the bar and waited.

It didn't take Shakky long to retrieve the first aid kit on the second floor. "So tell me about the makeover, what's the occasion?" inquired the slim barkeep as she sat down and took the offered injury in hand to be bandaged. "I have to say it's a refreshing change."

Liberty slouched over the counter, lips pursed in thought, "Hm, blame all those…what was that word- _bigshot_ pirates running around. I don't think we've ever seen so many cool pirate flags in one place before and coming from us that's a long time. But anyway, you could say we got overly excited and just said 'what the hell, why not.' And here we are."

"Ah, do you mean the Eleven Supernova?" retorted Shakky with a calm smile, brown eyes trained on winding gauze around the bullet wound in Jillian's hand. It was a right nasty injury, shot almost clean through. Any normal human would have had a nice sized hole in their hand.

"I've heard that term before, mostly in the Lawless Grove though," quipped Jillian with a slight grimace and growl. Shakky gave no reaction to the primal sound and just kept on wrapping. One finger, two fingers, a pinky, then the actual wound. Wrapping _that_ in gauze had Jillian shifting in her seat while exhaling sharply through her nostrils. The action had Liberty snickering even when her friend threw her a glare and a hissed, "Shut up."

"Yes, I imagined so. They are, as I said, eleven pirates on this island currently with bounties over a 100,000,000 beli. I am actually surprised so many rookie crews made it here at the same time." stated the ex-pirate herself. She skillfully cut off the extra bandage before tying the rest into a knot by Jillian's wrist. Finished she sat back and leaned on her elbows, posture relaxed.

It was quiet for a while. Lib and Jill using the time to take in the information. So there were eleven people with high bounties running around. No wonder they'd been alerted to such activity. Pirates that were _wanted_ were usually very loud in their actions. How else would they get the World Governments attention. Selling snowcones to old ladies? I don't think so.

"Can we see their bounty posters? We know you have them, Shakky! Cough 'em up!" hollered Liberty with a boisterous smile. The familiar show of vociferous enthusiasm had Shakky laughing and even squeezed a chuckle or two from Jillian.

Raising to her feet the ex-pirate deftly moved behind the bar and reached into a cabinet pulling out of sheaf of paper. Flipping through them she removed the ones she wanted and placed the rest back into the compartment. A second later she spread out eleven bounty posters on the counter and sat back down in her chair.

Reactions came quick. "Hey isn't that Luffy? That's him isn't it! Wait, he's a Supernova! Holy crap!" Lib spazzed, eyes on the poster showcasing a boy wearing a familiar straw hat with a toothy grin. _Yup, that's Luffy alright!_

"Meh, I'm surprised. He looks like a scarecrow but he must be hiding some sort of power if his reward is saying anything." added Jillian while lightly stretching the fingers of her injured hand. There was hardly any pain just a feeling of tight discomfort. She could deal with discomfort.

The two Gifted examined the rest of the bounties, commenting here or there on them, but otherwise just took in their pictures. It would not be unwise to know what each looked like. They were bound to run into some of them at some point. They only hoped it was a friendly confrontation, at least, as friendly as pirates could get.

"Now that I think about it where is the old goat? He's usually around this time of day." questioned Jillian with a cursory glance around the bar. Rayleigh was their other old friend, he was fun to be around; he had a sharp wit to him and loads of dry humor.

Shakky retrieved a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag before replying, "You actually just missed him by a couple of hours. He was here talking about the rookie crews, also said something about going off to repay some debt in Grove 1. Besides that I don't know."

Jillian smacked the countertop with a muttered "damn it" before she slumped over, using her bundled up cloak as a pillow. Shakky watched this through mildly concerned eyes. "Are you alright, Jillian? How long was the wound bleeding?"

There was a long silence after that. Lib and Shakky were of the same mind that she'd fallen asleep when with a heavy sigh she answered, voice low. "I'm fine. But there's probably a blood trail leading all the way to where we hid the pirate captain."

Lib grimaced at that but said nothing.

"Well, knowing the exhaustion that comes with blood loss, you're probably going to be out of it until morning. You two can bunk here then go after him at first light. And knowing you two, you'll be able to scent track him like bloodhounds." Shakky's smile widened at the two women wearing stunned facial expressions. Though she'd known them for over forty years there were still little things interwoven into everything they did that foretold of a far _older_ life style.

She could now add 'offering beds' to the long, long list of strange customs she'd witnessed over the years.

"Wow, is it bad that I can't remember the last time I slept in an actual bed?" declared Liberty with a silly grin.

A moment later Jillian huffed out a drowsy, "I second that."

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Two cloaked figures sprinted under the shade of the giant mangroves. They were shoulder to shoulder, stride for stride as they sped for Grove 1. The shorter of the two seemed to be the one leading the small two man hunting party. From under heavy hoods sharp noses pulled in a multitude of scents yet were only searching for one.

Silvers' Rayleigh.

As Shakky had said, they had been up at first light, and were out the door with a hurried _goodbye _before the rays of the sun ever touched the island. Dragons rose with the sun. Unless they were suffering from blood loss and had to be _rolled_ out of bed. Or splashed with _really_ _hot water_.

Cold just didn't cut it with Jillian. She _loved_ frigid temperatures. Liberty _detested_ them. So usually a bucket of steaming liquid on the head was a quick and easy, not to mention _deadly_ depending on Jill's mood, way to wake her up. You just had to vacate the premises fast enough to dodge her claws, then you were mostly fine. Mostly.

So here they were, running their asses off on a cold, _cold_ morning. _Where was the sun! It needs to raise faster! _

And were presently passing under Grove 5. Almost there.

…

And Grove 4. Closer.

…

And Grove 3. Nearly there.

…

And Grove 2. _Need sunlight!_

…

And finally Grove 1! Jillian and Liberty skidded to a halt, breathing fast but steady. They stood in silence for a while, basking in the predawn hours before sunrise, enjoying the music of the crickets, and the relative peace of the night. They really didn't need their hoods but it was a psychological comfort; they liked comfort. Plus it took away their paranoia at being seen.

Inhaling slowly, sifting through old and new smells, Jillian suddenly pivoted heading east. Lib followed not far behind. They both knew she had the better senses. Was the better hunter, though Lib held the title of fastest flyer. She did have a lighter body while transformed.

They traveled east for only twenty or so minutes, entering a massive clearing not soon after. In the dark a large round building loomed, it had a strange aura to it. Almost sinister…

The two Gifted walked right on up to the structure, teal eyes glowing in the blackness as they both squinted at the sign. They immediately stiffened upon reading it, faces contorting in snarls.

"What the _fuck!_ What the fuck is _this?_" hissed Liberty, brown-teal eyes glaring at the sign that read Human Auction House. They were all too aware that Sabaody Archipelago was corrupt. That it _allowed slavery_. But_ this _was _disgusting_.

No words came from Jillian, whose gaze was narrowed, dark, and glaring savagely at the place. At her side, hidden by layers of cloak, her good hand fanned out before fisting tightly, till her knuckles were white.

Voice a very harsh growl, "His scent leads here but abruptly cuts off. I'm thinking he came and left…"

"Ugh, this is messed up! You think he'll come back when its light out?" snapped Liberty who was answered by a shrug and and a waspish, "The only thing we can do is sneak inside, get somewhere high, and wait him out."

So they went about breaking and entering which really turned out to be them fumbling around in the dark looking for things to wedge into a window or door. It was another ten minutes before they seemingly came back to their senses and smacked each other upside the head for the simple fact that they had _claws. _Claws they could use to slice open locks. They did this to an inconspicuous window in the far corner.

Slipping over the windowsill and inside, they were met by darkness, pitch black _darkness_. Lib freaked.

_Shit, fuck, fire its dark in here! No!_

Jillian rolled her eyes at her reaction, reaching into her pants back pocket and withdrawing a small clear stick. With a vicious crack she made as if to break it in half but only caused it to ignite with bright green light. She chucked it at her panicking best friend who squealed shrilly while catching it and hugging it like a teddy bear.

Why did she have to befriend someone who_ hated the_ _cold_ and was literally _scared shitless _of the things that go bump in the night. Why?

_Because I am insane_…_obviously._

"Are you back to being sane?" Jillian droned sourly, cracking a second glowstick and using it to look for high outposts. She ignored the incensed cry of "Hey!" and continued searching.

After a minute or two she found it. A nice thick wide beam of wood supporting the main structure. It appeared to have enough space for them to either sit or lay fully outstretched vertically. They'd have to watch it horizontally or else they'd plummet a good seventy feet. A dangerous height as a human.

"We'll wait up there," Jillian pointed at the chosen spot for Lib who agreed readily. What came next was totally unexpected. With a short burst of light Liberty partially changed, transforming her two arms into her Tri-horn Wyvern wings before snatching Jill around her shoulders and leaping for the spot. It only took two wingbeats to get them safely up on their perch.

Liberty couldn't stop the crack-your-face-in-half grin that stole over her face at Jillian's dazed expression. It was even worse when all she got was a hissed, "I am going to _kill_ you one of these day!"

It was fun to bug Jill.

Five o'clock found the two Gifted lounging in their hiding place, waiting, waiting, and yet _more _waiting.

Until they fell asleep.

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Skulley J. Liberty was having a very good nap.

And one thing you _did not do _when Liberty was taking a nap was try to wake her up. Not unless you wanted a poisoned needle coming at you. Lib was an all around _bitch_ after a disrupted nap. But this time sucked even more than usual.

There was nothing to take her crankiness out on. Nothing but the loud incessant _caterwauling_ of snobbish, supercilious nobles.

_Nobles? Wait, what?_

Groggily, Liberty opened her eyes and promptly reeled back with a hiss at the shock of light. She yelped, shifted to her back, threw an arm over her face, and groaned. Having fried retinas; not fun, not fun at all. More than a little stunned at the unexpected illumination Lib laid there and let her eyes recuperate. Sight down and out she focused on her other senses to tell her what the hell was going on.

It was bright. It was loud. And apparently nobles were afoot. _Oh joy._

That's when Liberty remembered where she was. _Human Auction House. _With a jolt (and a flinch,_ damn eyes!_) she sat up, careful not to slam her head on the ceiling, and looked _down_.

Brown-teal eyes expanded. The rows of seats she had seen earlier were now full. Overly so. With nobles. Rich people. _Ugh! _Jillian was not going to like-…Wait, where _was_ Jill? Looking around the wooden beam found Jill curled up near the edge completely dead to the world. Lib sighed. Her best friend had insomnia so getting to sleep for her was sometimes hard but waking up? Yeah, like pulling dragon teeth. _Literally._

Scooching over to her lax partner Lib retrieved a plain needle from the pouch on her hip and pricked the skin on her neck. She quickly slapped a hand over her friends mouth right before a snarled "_FUCK!_" came exploding out.

It was soon followed by some cursing, wrestling, death threats, and hissed explanations. Thank God it was noisy.

"So…let me get this straight. You woke up and found _this _going on? And just how the_ hell _did _we fall asleep!_" grouched the sleepy form of Sonneillon B. Jillian. She sat or more like crouched beside her friend, eyes narrowed, body tense with sluggish irritation. A foul mood didn't even cut it.

_Rayleigh! You better show yourself before I start massacring potential buyers!_

Lips curling, Jillian glared something ugly down at all the _lofty people_. Then she turned her gaze to the stage and the bastard _prancing _around like a lunatic on it. Disco. If there was anyone on equal standing with the Celestial Shitbags it would be _him_. Revolting, he and _his business _were _revolting. _She couldn't stand it. She couldn't _understand_ it.

Jill glanced over at Liberty to find the same expression of disgust slathered over her face. She too was watching the stage. Watched as human after human was brought out chained, crying, and sold to the crowing audience like a slab of meat. _They were crying!_

Jillian suddenly frowned, sharp ears twitching. _What was that? _She scanned the crowd for the _something. _It was a voice…

_There it was again!_

It wasn't in the crowd. Behind then. She tilted her head back slightly and was immediately able to pinpoint the voice. It was deep, a baritone, and more than a little gruff. To Jillian it sounded like slick oil.

"…ompared to the World Government we pirates almost seem humane in comparison. It's like a symbol of how messed up the world is, tch."

Hearing that snide comment brought on some serious curiosity; whoever was saying that seemed almost as disgusted as she was. She liked him already for that simple thought. He didn't like slavery either. With that thought she turned her head around to get a good look at the speaker and nearly blanched.

_What the hell is a Supernova doing here! _

_Why is Eustass "Captain" Kid doing in an Auction House?_

Brows furrowing at the odd happenstance Jillian took the time to study the captain. He was definitely…_out there_ in terms of looks and dress-wise. Colorful. Attractive, in that badass kind of way. And his _hair! _She didn't know whether to call it orange or red or both. Probably both. Funny thing was it looked like he'd stuck his finger in a light socket, he hair stood up like flames. Though she guessed it fit him quite well.

She wondered what her best friend would have to say about this particular man. Her gaze_ had _lingered a little too long on his bounty poster after all.

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_Stupid! So damn stupid! Gah! I hate your hat! And your ugly glasses. They'd look better with my fist smashing them to your ugly ass face! Disco, what kind of person names their kid Disco! Lame stupid name! Go down there myself and kick your ass. Shove that microphone down your throat! See you speak then! Ha! Ugh! Why am I sitting up here again? God this sucks! I should go dow_…

Yup, Liberty was in complete rant mood. Meaning that if there was anything to talk shit about she'd talk shit about it. Oh the joys of being a spazz. After waking up her partner-in-crime they'd taken up spy positions on the edge of the beam. It was easier to see everything with nigh a head turn. No one could see them up there unless they were looking for them specifically. The only drawback was everything they could see they didn't really want to see in the first place. One, she was already grumpy from being woken up, and by nobles at that; two, Jill was exuding a mood blacker than tar which was usually a cause to worry.

Lib was supremely surprised she hadn't started finger-fanning yet. Watching this…this loathsome event made her want to hurl her guts. So she could only wonder what her friend was feeling right now. Jill had always come off as someone who didn't care when in all actuality she was very _sensitive_ to the well-being of others. This…instinct more often than not put her in dangerous situations. And Liberty could do nothing for it. Mostly because she didn't know how to.

Something in her peripheral suddenly drew her attention from her depressing thoughts.

It was _orange_. Liberty_ loved, adored _orange. Wait, it was white and fluffy too. And…and was that a _bear?_

Lib stared down at the white_ bear _clad in an orange boiler suit. She then noted the small group of men in identical white boiler suits standing or sitting around said bear. Hold on, there was a man sitting in front of him. Lib leaned down an inch and squinted. White spotted fur seemed to be covering the mans head, a hat. Oh. _Strange but cool hat._

And then she recognized him.

_Holy crap! It's that Law dude!_

A Supernova. If she remembered correctly his bounty had been 200,000,000 beli. Nothing to laugh at. _She_ certainly wasn't laughing. From where she was high up in the rafters he couldn't see her and she felt _just a tinge_ of giddy triumph at being able to spy on such a wanted man without consequence. _That's right I am awesome!_

…He was hot.

_Not my type though, too lean. _

But he was nicely tanned and looking really, really _bored. _He looked like he was about to fall asleep as he only had one of his grey eyes opened. He was also slouched in his seat with a tattooed hand propping his head up. Yup, definitely bored. Lib could totally understand. She'd be bored too if she wasn't so incensed at the situation.

"Hey, Lib look at this guy over here by the wall. He's that one you were staring at back at Shakky's." The voice of her best friend jolted her out of her daze and she turned to glare at her. She _hadn't_ been staring at _any_ of the posters!

"No, you come over here and look at this Trafalgar dude!"

"I asked first!"

"Meh, so?"

"Lib! Just get over here! I don't like whisper-yelling! Makes my throat dry!" Jillian barked from her side of the beam. She wasn't budging. Neither was Lib for that matter.

Liberty sighed, rolling her eyes, and proposed, "Okay, fine, how about this. Both of us look at the other guy at the same time."

It was a moment of silence before both started moving in the opposite direction. One looked right and straight, the other looked left and down.

Reactions?

"_Damn!_"

"_Damn!_"

Hook, line, and sinker.

A couple minutes later saw the two Gifted sprawled out in the middle of the beam, ridiculous grin stretching their faces. They just couldn't stop grinning.

"He's _really_ _hot_, did you _see_ those abs! _Yum. _And that coat! So fluffy! I want it, Jill!" Liberty whined, voice still a whisper but drenched with playful longing.

The body beside her snorted in amusement. "Oh? Aren't you going to comment on his hair, his goggles, the sash, not to mention his pants? I could've sworn you would've said something about those but you focus on his body instead. Pervert."

Lib sat up, face slack and gaping. "I…I am not a perv! I was just admiring someone with a very well…muscled body structure! And what about _you_, Miss _Damn! _Huh? _Huh? _Normal people don't just say '_damn_' to any old thing. It's either really hot or really ugly and I'll admit Law is definitely not on the ugly side. So spill it! What do you think?"

Lib glared expectantly.

Tense silence.

"…_Fine_, fine, you persistent _lizard_ he was hot! Okay, I _admit_ it! I like his hat, I like his eyes, I even like his weird ass pants!" growled Jillian in a rush of air.

"_And?_"

"What the hell do you want me to say!"

"_And!_"

"Arrgh! Get off my back! I'm not saying it!"

"_AND!_"

"_FINE! _I like his body, Goddamn it! You _happy _now!"

Skulley J. Liberty sat back, content smile in place, and a satisfied twinkle in her brown-teal eyes. With relish she said, "Yesh."

_Oh the joys of peer pressure._

After their somewhat '_quiet_' contention Jillian and Liberty went back to _reluctantly_ watching the auction. Both were of the same mind, _where the hell is Rayleigh!_ He, unfortunately, was not to be seen but his scent was still floating around so they knew he was _somewhere_. Thus they waited. Impatiently. With lots of finger-tapping and annoyed huffs.

The front door opened, spilling warm sunlight into dark shadow and for a moment, an instant they were visible. Thank God no one was looking up. Well, actually _back_ and then _up_. Then the door closed again, and they glanced down to see who'd entered so late. Ready and waiting to spew infuriated vitriol on them if they were nobles.

While they were rich, they were not aristocrats. They were pirates. _Familiar_ pirates.

"Hey, look! Isn't that Hachi and Pappug and Chopper? Whoa, he looks cool transformed!" Liberty exclaimed with a smile, glad for the distraction. Both watched as the group of six pirates walked in, faces grim for a reason they did not know. Nevertheless it sent a tight ball rolling in their stomachs; something was wrong.

"They look stressed and smell desperate." muttered Jillian with a frown, blue-teal eyes trained on observing dour expressions. Lib hummed in silent agreement. It almost seemed like something, or someone had _died_. But then why would they be here? Unless…unless someone had been taken.

_Oh God!_

Lib and Jill turned to stare at each other, feeling dread, and said in unison, "_Camie!_"

Their mermaid friend was suspiciously absent. Gone. Blood went cold and faces blanched. Camie was young, _innocent_,_ too _innocent! She didn't deserve slavery. No one did.

"_Shit! _She's probably in the back. We have to go rescue her! Why are we just _sitting here?_" Before Liberty could go flying off the beam in righteous fury a clawed hand snatched her arm and _wrenched_. The slice of sudden _pain _to her system slapped the beginnings of a spazz attack right off Lib's noggin. With a high pitched _yip_ that was quickly muffled Jillian pulled her back with a hissed, "_Would you wait! _Those pirates down there seem to have a plan. So let's just stay _here_ and see where it goes before going off with guns blazing. We _don't_ want to blow our cover unless we have to, damn it!"

Said spazz sat back, horribly unsatisfied, and pouted. "Don't give me that look. You know its better if we stay hidden for the time being, too many damn people. What's even worse, the fucking Celestial Shitbags are here."

A loud oleaginous voice caused them to wince. It sucked having sensitive ears. As one they turned to glare_ hate _at the culprit. _Shut up, Disco! No one wants to hear your stupid voice! Put a cork in it asshole!_

And glared harder when they _heard_ what he was saying. _Camie!_

The two Gifted watched, as everyone did, as a covered _something_ was hauled out. Seconds later showed Lib and Jill with hands firmly clasped over their ears, slight grimaces gracing their faces, their _pale disgusted _faces. If _watching_ wasn't bad enough, hearing it, _hearing_ the wild catcalls and eager crowing was nigh unbearable.

Gut-wrenching.

And hearing the betting was just salt rubbed into the wound.

In fact they were too caught up with watching the unveiling, actually _seeing_ Camie to notice Kid move to leave, nor the strange sort of hum that was steadily growing louder. And louder.

_**Crash, bang, slam!**_

And just like that all hell broke loose.

_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_

"Ucgh, this _sucks! _I need another dip in a lake, or a shower! Stupid dust! Stupid _explosion!_" coughed Lib, hands patting at the debris clinging to her like a second skin. Her breathing was rough, somewhat hoarse, and very heavy. Almost labored.

She looked down at herself, lips falling into a scowl. Ruined. Her nice, thick _warm_ cloak was _ruined_. That was a sin in her mind. With a jerk she ripped the piece of torn cloth off revealing red curduroy jeans and a white t-shirt with embroidered scythes on the back and front. While the cloak had taken the brunt of the impact her outfit was still a little dusty. Not cool but it couldn't be helped.

Waving a hand around her face she peered around the pillar she'd jumped to during the sudden esplosion. Where was Jill? She'd jumped to safety right behind her just in the nick of time. If they'd been human they wouldn't be alive right then, thank God for instincts. Sensing the danger a second before it hit had given them the the window to dodge. In other words, leap for all they were worth to the nearest beam.

Dust settling some Lib was able to see a prone figure against where the beam met the wall. It wasn't moving. _Jill! _Staggering over rubble, black boots slipping on loose rock, Lib ran over to her best friend and…guffawed.

Body pressed tightly against the wall, arms outstretched with knuckles white, blue-teal eyes impossibly wide and in a stupor was Jillian. She seemed to be shell shocked. The sound of laughter had the dazed glaze over her eyes receding to be immediately replaced with a surly glare. Shoving herself off the wall with an ill-tempered growl only had Jill veering to the side. This only had Liberty in fits all the more.

"Shut the fuck up! God, what is _wrong_ with this place! I get shot and then _the whole damn roof _has to come down! And I_ lost _my cloak, damn it!" ranted the shorter Gifted angrily as she pushed herself up to her feet albeit shakily at first.

Her outfit, while not at colorful as Lib's, was just as dusty. Black boots over equally black jeans and a purple blouse completed her apparel.

"_CAAAMMIIEE!_"

It seemed loud noises had taken a liking to _cleaving_ their brains in half lately. And making their ears bleed too. From where they stood on the southmost beam they could see Luffy and his first mate Zoro standing next to a…a giant fish?

The rubber Supernova was erratically looking around, black eyes darting in all directions. When he caught sight of Camie on the stage, chained, and in what appeared to be a huge fish-bowl he charged down the stairs, mouth open and bellowing.

"_CCAAMMMIIIEEE!_"

Movement grabbed Lib and Jill's attention; Hachi had bolted after Luffy, wrapping his two visible arms around him in order to slow him down. To everyone watching it was obvious it wasn't working. When Hachi realized this he did something that had Liberty and Jillian stiffening in horror.

He revealed himself as a fishman.

_Oh Shit!_

Instant screaming. General horror and racist disgust. Nobles of every sort lurched in their seats, an attempt to get away from the _contamination_. The abrupt outburst of aghast yelling startled Hachi who stopped to stare perplexed at all the surrounding people. With a gasp he noticed that in his desperation to get to Luffy before he did something _risky _he'd used his _other arms _to help stall him.

The people of Sabaody Archipelago were horribly racist in their views of fishmen and perceived them to be nothing more than ugly vile beasts. Liberty and Jillian more often than not had had to save a number of fishmen over the years because of such racism. They _hated_ it.

Jillian's body stiffened again. Her ears had caught the quiet rustling of something metal and it had her instincts _positively roaring _in response.

_DANGER! DANGER! MOVE!_

She moved just before the _**bang!**_

"_Jillian!_"


	4. Bullets, Dragons, and Dares

**Chapter 3: Bullets, Dragons, and Dares.**

_"When the sky turns gray,_

_And everything is screaming, _

_I will reach inside,_

_Just to find my heart is beating._

_You tell me to hold on,_

_'cause I'm bleeding out._

_I'm bleeding out for you."_

**Bleeding out by Imagine Dragons.**

Pain.

Crippling, _choking_, _**pain!**_

It exploded from her chest like hot magma out of a volcano, spreading and searing _everything_. The deteriorating hollow _throb_ of it paralyzed her, froze her to the marrow of her bones. But the_ burn _was worse, it ate at her brain with hot embers, rebounding off her sanity and twisting it into something grotesque. It was a horrible haunting dogged pain.

She ran from it, ran from the pain that bit at her heels like a rabid canine. Deeper, deeper into the darkness she went and slowly, ever so slowly the pain, the _burn _paled under a wave of cool blackness. It caressed her, beckoned her to follow it and gladly she did if only to escape the seething agony. So she surrendered to the smooth tide of shadows and floated off into the distance.

No worries.

No fears.

No pain.

No screaming.

No annoying shaking—

…_Screaming_…_and_ _shaking_…?

…_Why?_

Something, _something_ invaded the world of inky darkness then. It bore a hole, drilled through shadow, made sound, created light. It disturbed the fragile sanctuary where she'd burrowed herself to escape the fiery pain. _No_, _let her stay in this cool painless existence _some part of her pleaded. But the silence, the _darkness_ wavered around her, became shades of grey interwoven with white. That brightness grabbed her and ripped her away from the safety of the shadows. Every ounce of her mentality screamed, recoiled at this; the pain, that horrible mind-shattering pain would be there, ready to sink-

_"_…_ome back_…_ou_…_ ward_…_you_…_onger_…_"_

A voice. A distorted, _desperate_ voice. It sounded muffled and resonant as it pierced the gloom. She wondered at it; why did it sound so despairing, what was the cause of such desperation? And who was _you? _Who had the voice been talking about?

New voices, vaguely familiar ones, suddenly punched through the obscurity. They_ jolted _her, caused the wavering darkness to fluctuate even more. And that disturbing light leaked in, seeped through the cracks and _touched her_. The light had never touched her before, not like the cool blackness, no, this was not so friendly.

It shocked her. Pushed at her, forced her back up to the surface. The surface where she'd fallen, fled from the pain, and eventually gave herself over to the soothing darkness. The voices started growing in volume, losing that muffled quality; they were calling for someone.

Someone named Jillian._ Jillian?_

Who was this Jillian?

…

_Me_.

_She_ was Jillian. _She_ was the one the voices were screaming for. The desperate voice was screaming for _her_. Reality, or a sense of reality hit her, smacked her back to her sanity. Found the key to the cage housing her strength. Like a babe being born into the world she remembered. _Remembered_ the sharp sound of a gun being drawn, the shrieking of her instincts, and the burning deep-set pain in her chest. And Hachi. _Hachi_ who'd been stupid enough to reveal himself, Hachi who would've been shot dead by a Celestial Shitbag.

She'd taken the bullet for him.

With that realization she started struggling, flailing in that empty grey plane of existence. She wanted out, and she wanted out _now_. _Wake up, damn it! Wake up!_

The more she fought, the more she strived for that light of reality, the more the pain came back followed by the deafening cacophony of _life_. The darkness still lingered, lingered at the edge of her mind. But it was bleeding away, receding back into the recesses of her psyche. In exchange she started _feeling_ things.

Movement. Sensation. Pain.

She could feel hands holding her shoulders, could feel the world tip on its side, and cold tile. She was laying on cold tile. She could feel the pain too. It still burned, still took her breath away while simultaneously making her want to retch and scream her lungs out. But it was somehow dulled like the wound had gone numb. It throbbed with only the pale shadows of its predecessor.

It was hard to breathe. She could feel the convulsing of her torso, the lancing pain that came with it, and the _squelching_ sound of each labored inhale. That's when she tasted the blood, _felt_ the blood.

She was covered in the warm liquid. It coated her mouth, her tongue, slipped out the corners of her lips, and dribbled down her chin. Twitching her fingers, moving her hand was met with more wet warmth. Was it everywhere? Just how much blood had she lost?

These questions broadsided her, prodded her mind, and roused her curiosity. She wanted to see with her own eyes but her body wasn't having any of it. Blinking, raising those lids took energy, energy needed to heal. To stop from fading. From dying.

Then sound returned. Actual sound. She could suddenly hear _everything. _Voices, tones, fear! Someone was talking, and quickly. She could hear the desperation again. What was it saying?

"…_ange! _Change! Just change to dragon, please!_ Jill! _You're going to die! Jill! _change!_"

It was _that voice_, the one she'd heard while stuck in the darkness of her mind. It was_ Lib_, Liberty. Skulley J. Liberty; _her best friend_, her fellow Gifted. Her partner-in-crime. _She was calling_. Pleading. Begging.

_To change._

To what? What was a Gifted, anyway?

And image assaulted her abruptly. An image of water, sea water, and a face. A _dragon_ face. _Familiarity._ She was familiar with this creature. No, that was wrong. She _was_ that creature. That dragon reflected on the ocean surface_ was her. _

Like an epiphany it washed over her. Like a puzzle, everything fell into place; it made sense.

_"You're going to die!"_

She was going to die if she didn't change.

…_Change_…

So laying in a pool of her own blood Jillian shoved back the pain, ignored the voices, and reached into that intrinsic part of herself that was covered in scales.

Reached for the Hellfire Wyvern.

_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_

Thinking back on it Skulley J. Liberty should've known this would happen. Being close friends with Sonneillon B. Jillian for over eight hundred years should've polished her ability to tell when Jill was about to do something risky. So she should've known her best (stupid!) friend would lunge off the beam just as Saint Charloss pulled the trigger on Hachi.

Should've known she would take a _bullet to the chest. _

But, no, that wasn't how it happened. She'd sat there, _frozen_, watching in blank-faced horror. Watched as her friend, as_ Jill_, used Dragon Speed to appear in front of Hachi in time to block the oncoming projectile. She'd succeeded brilliantly. And now she was dying.

_Dying!_

_Jill was dying!_

"_Jillian!_"

Liberty screamed. She screamed so loud it left her ears ringing, her lungs gasping, and her throat sore. But she didn't care. She _didn't care _because that was_ her friend_ down there. And the spray of blood that came from the impact _scared her_. Scared her to the point where she couldn't even hear her own heart pounding in her ears. Her vision tunneled and all she could see was Jillian still standing there, shot, bleeding, and not even conscious. She wasn't even _conscious_ but she was _still standing. _Even knocked out cold Jillian was still stubborn.

It was with a dim thought of _bye-bye cover_ that really never registered in her mind that she leaped off the wooden beam partially transformed and flew to the bloodied form of her best friend. Not once did she take in the reactions of those witnessing her sudden appearance nor Jillian's for that matter. All her frantic attention was trained on Jill. Jill and the unnerving - _Oh my God!_ - amount of blood coating her front. The bright purple of her shirt was now a dark mauve.

Being that close, actually _smelling_ so much blood nearly imploded her nostrils. It was that strong, that abrasive. But this was Jill, and Jill was hurt. Hurt bad. She needed help!

_No no no no no no no! _It played like a restless mantra in her head, spiraling around and around, building into a crescendo of frenzied thought processes. It was a saving grace when Hachi reached out to grab the inert form of Jillian only to lay her on her side gently. Lib felt too sick, too weak, too panicked to move. To do anything. She was a master of poisons, of herbs. Knew thousands of mixtures that could relieve pain yet now when such knowledge was needed she _couldn't lift a finger _to help. To save.

And it _killed_ her. Jillian had watched her back, had made it her business to make sure no one messed with her. And here she was freezing when things got hot. She _would not forgive _herself. And Skulley J. Liberty was a very forgiving person.

Brown-teal eyes wide and staring she dropped to her knees uncaring of the blood seeping into her red corduroys. Lib swallowed thickly, Jill was pale for a human but looking at her now…it was wrong. It was _wrong_ to see her so deathly pallid.

Her hands were numb, numb from flicking and waving around wildly in her desperation. Sitting there she trembled, her breathing harsh and inconsistent. Lib was nearing hyperventilation. Her head was growing dizzy as if her equilibrium itself was bouncing up and down.

She felt cold then. _So very cold_. Faintly, Lib wondered if death was nearby, ready to snatch Jill away from her. Ready to steal the friend that had been with her since the beginning. The friend that stood, undaunted, beside her through the hellish decades and dark nights.

Jill couldn't leave her. _She just couldn't!_

And like a light-bulb coming on an idea, a _God-send _lit up in her thoughts. If Jill was shot in the chest, _as a human_, then all she needed to do was change into her Hellfire Wyvern form. As dragons they had accelerated regenerative abilities. Her hardened scales would help to seal the wound and keep it from bleeding out. That way she wouldn't run the risk of bleeding to death. Jillian had already lost so much blood.

It was literally everywhere. On her clothes, the tile, her jeans, and on Hachi.

It was even on her hands. _Her hands_.

_Oh my fucking God!_

And she'd already been suffering from blood loss.

Mind _somewhat_ back to being rational Liberty leaned over Jill, eyes fixed, vigilant for any movement whatsoever. Hesitantly she brought her hand up to shakily place it on Jillian's throat. Blood speckled fingers moved to check her pulse. For a heart-stopping moment she quit breathing when she didn't feel anything.

…

…_Bah-dum_…

…

…_Bah-dum_…

…

…_Bah-dum_…

It was there, frighteningly faint and sluggish but still there. Still beating. _Still alive_. Jill was still alive. That thought, that simple little thought was like oil to a dying flame. Water to a desert survivor. It was a balm to her speeding heart, her raspy breathing, and her sanity.

_Jill was still alive._

_Jill needed to change to __**stay **__alive._

Hand rising Lib placed it on Jillian's cheek, letting it rest there, before she smacked the skin lightly. _She __**had**__ to get her attention._

Voice hoarse and low with a hint of hysteria, "H-hey, Jill! C'mon wake up! You gotta wake up! I-I'll…I'll throw hot water on you again!"

A moment of silence. Heavy nerve-wracking silence.

Nothing. Not even a twitch or a groan. There was no growl of annoyance, no hiss of hostility. _Nothing_. For a second Lib felt the fear, the helplessness rise from her gut to attack her mind again.

She used the mantra _Jill's alive Jill's alive Jill's alive _to combat the rising doubt. With regained focus she tried again, this time with the beginnings of frustration. Her hand actually stung when she brought it down on her friends cheek. The sound echoed in her ears, seared at her heart.

"_Jillian! _You're _not_ allowed to leave! Come back _coward! _You're stronger than this! _Wake up already!_"

Dimly Lib sensed the presence of Hachi beside her, on his knees, gently shaking her friend. Helping her. It touched her deeply. She was also dimly aware of a loud muffled crashing sound going off somewhere behind her. She ignored the small bit of curiosity at that in favor of waking up Jill.

It had been two minutes and twenty-six seconds. For someone bleeding as Jill was that was _dangerous._

That fact popped the top off on Liberty's patience. Her hand came down harder on Jill's cheek and this time she felt no lingering guilt over it. "Damn it Jill! Change! _Bitch_ if you _don't_ wake up and change_ I'm _going to_ kill you! _Change! Just change to dragon, please! Jill! You're going to die! Jill! _change!_"

Lib gasped, eyes widening, hope flaring when she caught the barest hint of a twitch. Jillian's finger had twitched. _Life! _She just hoped something in that head of hers had heard her shouting. Had heard her say _change._

…

Hachi startled, eyes blinking in astonishment, everyone who was watching mirroring his surprised expression as the still body began to _glow. _It was a subtle illumination one that caught the senses and intrigued the mind. But the spell was broken with the abrupt entry of shouting from Lib to "_oh shit! Move!_"

Three clueless pirate crews stared and _continued_ to stare.

Until they caught sight of the human body _growing_.

They moved.

_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_

Shock. Befuddlement. Awe.

Such emotions abounded within the minds of all those watching. It was with much amazement that they looked upon Jillian fully transformed. The immense body of rough scales the color of dark granite, teal, and purple had them staring silently. The dragon was almost _too big _to take in all at once. They were all of the same mind; if the creature had been _any larger _the auction house would've burst and they would've been crushed. Even laying on its side wings halfway closed the bulk of it still brushed, _pressed_ against the ceiling. It truly was a massive creature.

During the transformation the Heart pirates had to relocate to a place by the doorway. Sitting in the seats was just not an option anymore. Not unless you wanted to be made into a pancake. Each crew seemed to have its own way of reacting to such a legend. Said Heart pirates gawked with wide eyes, their mouths momentarily hitting the floor before slamming back into their faces. They soon lost themselves in excited prattling.

The Heart pirate captain was another cup of tea entirely. His reaction was not so visible; the bored frown he'd worn for most of the auction was now gone. In its place stretched a smirk so devious, so disturbingly pleased that members from his own crew who saw it instantly quieted and paled. They, and only they recognized such a darkly satisfied look and felt pity for the girl who'd thrown herself in front of the fishman.

Because she'd thrown herself right into Law's radar. She'd become a puzzle. A challenge. And their captain _never_ turned down a challenge. Never. What was even more unnerving than the foreboding smirk was the show of expression hidden beneath the shadow of a furry spotted hat. Unbeknownst by his crew merciless grey eyes narrowed and sparked with avarice. They darkened, became half-lidded and that prodigious mind started weaving a web of intricate design.

A web fit to ensnare a legend.

He'd decided once during the broadcast that he'd _encounter_ such mythical creatures. Now, _now_ he'd set about making that encounter more…_permanent_. Law's smirk widened and morphed with blood-chilling emotion.

It did not reach his cold grey eyes.

_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_

Ten or so feet from the Heart pirates stood the silent Kid pirates. They, very much like the latter crew, were caught up in the spell of astonishment. But the crew did not break out into instant conversation. No, they watched the beast intently, took in the way it breathed slowly, the whole of its reptilian body raising with the inhale and falling with the exhale. They watched it shift, a wickedly clawed foot scraping against tiny pews and rubble, or a wing twitch closer to its dark powerful torso. They also watched the score of emotions flit across their captains face.

The wide bloodthirsty grin that usually painted Kids face was absent. A tense guarded look was in its place. Dark lips were pursed together in a thoughtful frown, not one hint of mania or bloodlust present. Even more ominous were his crimson eyes, glinting maliciously as they watched the wyvern that lay not but three feet in front of him. It was a very foreboding gaze, filled with blatant greed and ruthless ambition. _Conquest._

It was a gaze filled to the brim with domination and ruin.

Suddenly that gaze slanted, rose, and landed on a figure crawling _on _the dragon. It was the second teal haired girl. The taller one. Kid watched her closely as she climbed to what was quite possibly the head of the creature. He wasn't sure with the huge wing obscuring his vision. She seemed sure-footed as she scaled the beast using the jutting side scales as footholds only having to catch herself twice when the wyvern shifted.

His gaze narrowed further, became tinged with calculation when he saw her stop at the wing-joint before flipping over to the head. He was sure it was the head because of the two horns sticking out like spears. They certainly looked sharp enough. Blistering red eyes honed in on the traversing form of the girl, and continued to stare when she slid down a surface of the creature that he realized was the snout.

What came next had him _and_ his crew fixed on watching.

She'd started to scream. And, no, it wasn't like the earlier terrified shrieking, this was _furious_, _enraged screaming_. And it got even better. The Kid pirates, who'd been bored the whole time whilst watching the auction were finally getting some entertainment. They watched, highly amused, as the teal haired woman viciously _wailed on _the muzzle of the dragon. A dragon who dwarfed her vastly.

Shockingly enough the wyvern, Jillian, seemed to cow under such brutal reproach. But the woman wasn't having _any of it _as with both hands she grabbed the edge of ridged skin belonging to a nostril and _jerked. _What _topped_ their amusement wasn't the show of surprising violence but the absolutely_ foul _sailors mouth. The girl was spewing vitriol right and left in her heated reprimanding and it _excited _Kid.

Powerful, violent, and strong; qualities that Kid looked for in a new crewmate. He was excessively picky with those who joined under him. He'd only have the best. If he was going to be the next Pirate King his crew needed to be top-notch to stand with him at the top. Weaklings _could go die_. Kid did _not _tolerate weakness. He tolerated it less in his crew. No one he sailed with was weak. No one.

And this girl, this _Wyvern Sister _currently roasting her partner was powerful. He could sense it. As he'd sensed it with all of his crewmates. Previously frowning lips slowly, tortuously curled into something twisted. Something _hungry. _It contorted his features, made his eyes gleam with dark promise.

Oh yes, he'd make that girl join. One way or another.

She'd be calling him _captain._

_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_

_That bitch was__** going to die!**_

It was a thought that was quickly growing popular in her mind as she_ stalked _to where Jillian's head was. Now that Jill was in her Hellfire form the wound would heal within three to four days _if_ she rested properly. Lib _would make _sure she rested and not go flying off to lick her wound alone. Oh no, she wouldn't _get that_ privilege.

She'd lost all grip with being in Lib's good graces. Nope, she was officially on her _shit list _this time. She'd be making it up to her for_ centuries_. If this was the beginnings of a bloody _trend _then to hell with showing the world their human side, she liked being sane! And happy. And without friends with bullet holes!

_That bitch was__** so going to die!**_

Liberty jumped over a darkly scaled claw, bypassing the ground altogether for climbing over Jill's body. It was easier than walking over unstable debris. She could feel just by scaling over rough dragon skin that Jillian's breathing was heavy and slow. There was an audible hitch in the respiration that was like salt to the wound of her anxiety. _Jill, don't you fucking move!_

Lib clambered over the bright teal and purple of Jillian's wing; it was currently being used as a sort of fleshy shield for her vulnerable chest. Being so massive in body she was not even halfway stretched out, more like curled awkwardly on her side with her huge wings pressed tightly to her ribs. It was the only way to go without bringing the whole structure down on everyone.

Skulley J. Liberty paused at the shoulder before executing a flip and landing squarely between Jill's two main skull horns. A moment later saw her sliding down the long snout and hitting the ground with a light_ thump_.She took a minute to lean over and look around the wing to get a good gist of how bad the wound was. The sight had her scowling, _actually scowling_.

Being a dragon helped because of the armor-like scales covering them from head to tail. It was even better when you were hurt in your human form and _changed_. Reverting was just one essence taking over another and it opened the door for their accelerated healing. The human body was still in there somewhere but with it taking a backseat the dragon part of them was allowed to reign supreme. This meant the wound was still visible, yet wasn't open to air or infection as it was sealed and covered by the layer of protective chest scales. Scales, surprisingly, weren't their real skin. No, scales were for protection, breed distinction, and color.

While this was a comfort to Lib it still disturbed her to see a blotchy red star _blossoming _under scales and tinting them a murky burgundy color. _And she liked burgundy!_

With a snarl foreshadowing a tempest she turned to glare at the two half-lidded slit eyes watching her tiredly. Seeing those eyes, staring into their unique blue-teal only brought on more fury. Those eyes would've closed and shut away the blue-teal forever. They would dim and glaze over, white out, and lose that glowing luminance. They would've never opened again.

Lib's jaw clenched to the point where she could hear her back molars creaking.

Then she exploded.

"You son of a _bitch! You son of a fucking bitch! _What _the hell _was going through that _damn skull of yours! _Huh! _Fucking bitch!_ Are you suicidal! _Are you?_" Lib was past rant mode and _beyond. _She was so far gone in her temper that she didn't even regret using_ violence _to show just _how_ pissed off she was. And she was pissed off. Lib was _seething _with it. Absolutely seething with rage.

She released it all on Jillian in the form of _repeatedly_ punching and/or smacking her sensitive nose. She _deserved_ it!

"If you _so much as even think _of doing that _again_ I am going to _**rip**__ your goddamn wings off! You stupid fucking gormless clodpoll!_" Jillian was already in a weird position and with the tight space had little to move her huge head. So it was easy for Lib to tell when she was trying to hide away in the curve of her wing. Jill never got the chance. Nearly hissing and spitting and rabid with anger Liberty reached out and _dug her nails _into the soft skin on the inside of the nostrils. She showed no mercy when she _wrenched_ said soft skin, therefore cementing Jill's wandering attention back on her.

It probably hurt like a bitch - _Good! Feel my pain asshole! -_ since it was a place rich with nerves. The loud echoing groan that resounded in the auction house was only more proof to that fact. It also had their _audience_ gawking and staring even more.

"Do you _know_ how_ fucking scared _I was! I can't even _put it into words _you _piece of lickspittle shit! _Gah! I seriously _want to kill you _right now! You are such an _incorrigible fuckfaced bastardized asshat! Ugh! _I'm probably gonna have _nightmares_ for the rest of my life! And you _know what? IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!_"

If Jillian's ears weren't bleeding before they were now. She seemed rightly scandalized in her expression if the thunderous sigh and slumping shoulders were anything to go by. To everyone watching it looked as if the dragon was curling in on itself. They were then _shocked _when they heard a rumbling voice that somehow came off as feminine boom through the place. It was a deep bassy growl that shouldn't have spoken words they understood.

"…Yes, I know. I knew you'd kick up a row over this. But Hachi isn't a dragon like us, isn't a Gifted. He can't transform and heal_ just like that_. I had to do _something_, damn it. Don't you _dare_ take _this_ away from me, Lib! You and I both know he would have _died_ if I hadn't stepped in! And I'm tough, I can handle it."

Liberty stilled, went red, and hissed, "Tough! _You're_ tough! Oh yeah, so I guess_ standing _there unconscious _bleeding to death _makes you tough! _You are an idiot! _And _handle it? _Jill, you almost _died_, you stopped breathing for a second. I couldn't find your fucking pulse! No, no, there was no handling. You shou— _Arrgh!_"

A sudden blast of haki roared through everyone's mind, weighing down bodies, and knocking out everyone left in the building deemed an enemy. The intensity had the pirates blinking, wondering who was emitting such terrible power.

The Two Gifted weren't as lucky as the three pirate crews. Haki to a dragon was often times dangerous. It was even lethal to hatchlings. It was purely someones mental prowess, their _will_, that they projected onto others that harmed a dragon. There were no physical wounds, no, haki targeted what was called Mind Flow.

Mind Flow was the synergy of a dragons essence. It controlled all aspects of transformation; the delicate balance needed for such a drastic change. The energy inside flowed like a river through the mind and body creating a source and a conduit. If this inner flow was disrupted the derailed energy became erratic and wild. Unstable, causing something like a migraine to a human.

Most times it called for total sensory overload.

One word: painful.

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No one anticipated the _excruciatingly loud_ roar ripping across their senses. Nor the piercing shriek of pain wailing right alongside it. The deafening cries forced everyone to slam hands down over their ears and clench their teeth in a grimace. Then it stopped, breaking off just as the haki blast ended. The echo of it rebounded off the walls and melded uncomfortably with the awful ringing in everyone's ears. It was even loud enough to jog Luffy out of his awed trance. Yup, the captain of the Strawhats had been strangely quiet under such fantastic circumstances.

After having punched that Celestial Dragon and seeing the transformation he'd been too caught up in staring like a lunatic to react as he usually would. Like an even _bigger _lunatic. Blinking somewhat owlishly, the rubber-man idly thumped a curiously throbbing ear before looking around at everyone. They too were gingerly rubbing at their ears with varying degrees of discomfort and general 'what-the-fuck-ness.'

It was with the hardly used pile of _something_ in his head that Luffy remembered why he was standing in an auction house in Grove 1: Camie. But before he could tackle the literal _mountain _of dragon flesh in his way an old man with grey hair and an intricate beard holding _his missing friend _appeared.

Without the deadly exploding neck-ring.

Gasps and cries of shock filled the air when the Strawhat crew saw this for themselves. Hachi and Pappug immediately ran forward to greet their close friend who was now safe. When Hachi got close enough to the old stranger he nearly reeled back from the surprise.

"R-ray-san? Ray-san is that really you!" croaked Hachi, eyes wide as he stared at his old friend. Said man smiled good-naturedly while giving his cargo over to the octopus fishman. After watching the fated reunion between seafarers Rayleigh turned to the man who'd first caught his eye.

"Ah, Monkey D. Luffy. I've wanted to meet you for a while." said the Dark King with a mysterious smile. The oddball statement was met with much confusion and wariness among the crews especially the Strawhats. They shifted restlessly gazes jumping from Luffy to the stranger. Luffy didn't take this declaration as a threat as his instincts were not riled at the words. He stared at the old man, sensing something just beyond his scope of understanding but it lingered in his mind nevertheless. Whispering, telling him quietly that this man was someone important. A friend, an ally.

Over to the side Eustass 'Captain' Kid leaned against the wall a strange smirk pulling at his lips, narrowed red eyes trained on the first mate of the Pirate King. _This man_…

Now there were _two_ legends present. "Who'd have thought we'd run into such a big shot here? Dark King, Silvers' Rayleigh." uttered the red-haired Supernova smugly. A second later the intense gaze of 'Ray-san' locked on Kid, smile still in place, "These days I go by Ray-san so please don't use that name again. I am an old man now and would like to live peacefully."

Rayleigh let what he'd said sink in and turned to face the quietly whimpering Wyvern Sisters. He'd known they were around and was only sorry that he couldn't have warned them about the haki. It was the only way efficient enough to immobilize all the foes still prowling around. So he walked up to the crumpled form of Skulley J. Liberty and the head of Sonneillon B. Jillian, aware of all the eyes boring into him and his actions. Ah, the new generation.

Kneeling down, dark eyes softening Rayleigh gently placed a hand on Lib's temple and focused. He found he always had to do this when either of the two were hit with haki. Utilizing his haoshoku haki he used a highly concentrated stream and slipped it into the girl's mind. This worked to repair the agitated synergy without it noticing the intrusion. The pained groaning coming from Lib slowly ebbed after he pulled his hand away. She did not awaken though; it took time for a dragon to recuperate from a haki blast.

"Hey, gramps what are you doing?" questioned a slim young man who Rayleigh remembered as Usopp of the Strawhats. He slanted a look over his shoulder at all the pirates watching, gazes narrowed inquisitively. While hopping onto the large muzzle of Jillian, doing the same thing he'd done to Lib he explained just a little of what he was accomplishing.

"Since these two aren't human they do not react to Haki like everyone else. Dragons, or Wyverns like them possess a special kind of inner balance. It it similar to what we call equilibrium but it is far more complex. This inner balance is vital for a dragon to be able to transform, if the balance is interrupted the energy needed to change becomes unstable. And as you can see it is quite debilitating."

"Yes, I remember…on Ohara there was talk of dragon-human hybrids who used the synergy of their two essences to take a dominant state." murmured Robin softly, gaze distant. This information was processed with more than a little curiosity. Curiosity mainly stemming from the three Supernova captains.

"If this synergy is damaged how long will they stay in this regenerative sleep?" The question came from a very intrigued Trafalgar Law. Rayleigh jumped down from the snout, hair blowing slightly when Jillian exhaled. He met the keen gaze of the "Dark Doctor" evenly, not once looking away from the studious stare.

Lips tilting at the thirst for knowledge in the younger mans eyes he replied, "Not long. A dragons healing prowess is unlike anything we humans have come across yet in this day and age. They will probably be waking up soon."

Luffy frowned in confusion at the words 'regenerative' and 'prowess' but he got the gist of what was being said. Did that mean the dragon lady who'd been shot would be okay? She'd been hit in the chest by a bullet and there had been a lot of blood. He'd been worried that she wouldn't wake up again. One of his friends had been hurt, had been _shot_, so he'd grown angry. Evidence of his temper was still laying against the wall on the other side of the wyvern with a rearranged face.

"Oi, dragon lady was shot so will this _prowess_ help her to get better?" Luffy, simple-minded and clueless, and yet he still managed to voice what everyone had been secretly wondering at. She had been shot, not point blank, but in a spot that would've killed any normal human. Having your chest cavity and lungs hit with anything was life-threatening.

Rayleigh, to the surprise of everyone watching, nonchalantly leaned against the massive jowls of the knocked out dragon. There was not one bone of wariness in his pose, and Kid commented on this audacity, "You seem to be well-informed about these Wyvern Sisters, Dark King."

Rayleigh ignored how the Supernova had _intentionally _used his title when he'd told him not to in favor of replying, "Yes, well, they are very old friends. And over the years I've come to know quite a bit about them as you would expect. Hm, the chest wound I sensed earlier will heal, but severe injuries like this one will take time. But yes she will get better. Interestingly enough they are not blood sisters but best friends. Though they do share the same bright teal hair Liberty's dragon form is quite different from Jillian's."

Nami scowled at the old man, something coming up in her mind that led to confusion. "If that's true then why _do_ they share the same hair and not the same…dragon body?" The Dark King tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. That was a good question. "Hm, that is most likely because their dragon forms have the same dominant color, that being teal. But I assure you both breeds are completely different."

Not one to leave anything left unsaid Nami doggedly persisted when Ray-san stopped talking. "And what breeds would those be?" No one was willing to stop her little interrogation if you could call it that. They too, were curious about what was being questioned.

Rayleigh sighed, smile turning rueful as he contemplated the question. He hoped the two slumbering girls around him wouldn't mind him saying these things. Though it was hopeless background information. "I guess it would be harmless to tell you youngsters. This one, Liberty," he pointed to the tall woman with short teal hair, "is called the Tri-horn Wyvern while Jillian's breed," he made a hand gesture to the slumbering beast he leaned on, "is called the Hellfire Wyvern. I do not know anymore and will say no more." warned Rayleigh, sweeping his gaze over all those present. He meant what he said.

Silence hung heavy for a time, filled with quiet ruminations on all the new information. For some it was just something mysterious being cleared up, for others it was a door of unlimited possibilities.

The teal claws on the Hellfire Wyvern's wing abruptly spasmed. This sudden movement was followed by an involuntary shudder from Liberty. The three pirate crew watched, gazes a lot more attentive, as the Wyvern Sisters slowly made it back to consciousness. Painstakingly, they both opened luminous dual colored eyes which seemed to just _home in on _Rayleigh.

"_Ray-san!_"

"_Old goat!_"

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If there was one thing about being a Gifted that sucked it was their vulnerability to haki. Yeah, it was cool and stuff but a blast of any kind bloody_ hurt! _Like rusty nails down a chalk board it ripped through their minds like serrated racks. Both their senses and their Synergy were shot to hell; they didn't know anything bad enough human-wise to equal it. A sledgehammer to the skull possibly? Migraine? Head cold? Who knows. And to top it off when a dragon was hit with haki their body saw fit to_ immediately shut down _in order to repair said damaged connection.

If a Gifted wasn't careful they could end up in a _very bad _situation. You never knew what was going on around you when you were stuck in restorative sleep. That's why when Jillian and Liberty woke up they were _extremely happy _tosee Silvers' Rayleigh standing in front of them with that ever present smile on his face. Over the past couple of decades the old goat had become a sort of father figure to the two marauding females. Sheltering them the best he could from those who'd have them captured and killed. They, it seemed, returned the favor in full as no one had gone after his head in over thirty years.

The Dark King looked up then, feeling the hot moist air of breath sear across his cheeks, to see the ridged nose and jaws of Sonneillon B. Jillian. He did not move as she lowered her great muzzle and gently, ever so gently, pressed it into his chest. He met the weary but fierce blue-teal gaze and grinned. A tan calloused hand came up to rest on the side of the snout, like a handshake the touch was firm, strong, speaking so many words that would never be voiced but were understood nevertheless.

A moment later Rayleigh felt a weight ram into his back in the form of a very merry Skulley J. Liberty. She instantly wrapped her arms him, hugging him from behind. He could visualize the large smile on her face even if he couldn't see it. He knew it was there regardless. The arms tightened and he heard the unmistakable sound of a happy laugh. Chuckling, Rayleigh raised his other hand and plopped it down on a head of short teal tresses.

Voice soft, "It's been quite a long time you two. Though I wished such a meeting would involve less stress. I am sorry for not giving a warning before I used my haki, I know how taxing it can be on your Mind Flow…"

Gawking, gaping, fallen jaws, and widened eyes littered the expressions of all three pirate crews. Two legends stood in front of them. Two legends who seemed to be caught up in an almost intimate embrace. No, nothing sexual. Rather the three _literally_ sandwiched together gave off a strong sense of maternity. Like father and daughters.

They couldn't believe what they were seeing. Silvers' Rayleigh, the 'Dark King' and first mate to the Pirate King was embracing the _Wyvern Sisters _like they were his own flesh and blood.

The Heart, Kid, and Strawhat pirates watched flabbergasted as the three released each other, then seemed to drop into rabid-fire conversation. This conversation was not audible and that fact irritated the two captains from South Blue and North Blue. Both Kid and Law were of the same mind, _find out as much as possible._

Just as they were about to do something a voice on a loudspeaker thundered through the building.

_"Criminals inside! Release the Roswald family! An admiral will be here shortly. Surrender and you will be shown mercy_…_"_

They all paused. The marines had arrived. _Oh no! _Liberty rolled her eyes, voice sarcastic, "Yes, we're _all _just going to _walk_ outside with our_ hands to the sky _and let them take us in. _Hell no! _Just no, no. Idiots!"

This slight spazz triggered some laughs and chuckles but the onset of tension remained. Trafalgar Law stood, stance relaxed and confident, a hand holding his nodachi to his shoulder with the other tucked into a pocket. His sharp eyes seemed to analyze the situation, taking in variables, and with a low chuckle an ironic smile stole over his face. "They're not just dragging us into this, they're even calling us Mugiwara's accomplices. They'll learn that_ I _don't take orders from _anyone_." For a second, a _split second _something ugly crossed Law's expression before it was gone. Just like that. Swallowed by his cheshire cat smile.

Kid hadn't moved from his position by the door. With arms crossed, a sinister grin taking over, he looked ready for a massacre. Being so close to the front entrance he could hear the shouting of the marines as they surrounded the auction house. They were under the impression that a few hundred men could _stop __**him**_. How utterly _pathetic_. He'd kill them all. Maybe it'd scare his two 'rivals' off too when they saw the carnage. Plus he wanted to leave before that admiral showed up. He had no aspirations in dying now. No, he still had a throne to take over.

With that thought he pushed off the wall and turned to walk out the door, only glancing back once to lock the image of the Tri-horn Wyvern, Liberty in his mind. He'd hunt her down later. His crew behind him he threw over his shoulder, "I'm leaving but as an extra favor I'll save all of you. So just sit tight."

The arrogant command, or maybe the whole sentence seemed to rub the two Supernova captains wrong. They whipped around to glare at the South Blue native, lips pulled into snarls of displeasure. Like a silent beckoning, a challenge, both Law and Luffy turned to stalk out after Kid.

Rayleigh shook his head at the antics of the younger generation before rounding on Jillian. She still lay awkwardly on her side, head uncomfortably bent against her shoulder. She'd been in that position for a long time. Though it was risky Jillian needed to change back into a human. Evading the marines as she was now would be suicidal.

"Ah, Chopper-san are you the doctor of the Strawhat crew?" questioned the old coater. Said reindeer jumped, squeaked, and stared at him with wide eyes. He hesitantly nodded. Rayleigh smiled kindly at the little devil fruit user. "It seems that I am in need of your assistance with Jillian. Will you be able to wrap her chest so that the wound won't get infected?" Chopper nodded again, blushing at the word _chest_ before walking over hooves already bringing out a roll of bandages.

At hearing her name Jillian perked up, turning cautious eyes to Rayleigh. Liberty herself was wary of her best friend transforming so early. "Whoa, whoa Ray-san! It's_ way _to soon for Jill to turn back into a human! The wound probably isn't even closed yet! It could kill her!"

The Dark King didn't falter in his decision. Sauntering back over to Jillian's muzzle he locked eyes with his old friend. There was exhaustion and pain in her slit gaze but also trust. "C'mon old girl, change, and we'll help you with that injury."

Soft light bathed everyone's faces before disappearing; in its place was a pale ragged human Jillian. She lay on her side just as she'd done in her dragon form. A bloody hand was pressed to the puncture on her chest. It was removed when surprisingly warm hooves nudged them off and an even warmer body slowly, gingerly helped her to sit up. With a twitch of her nose she knew it was Rayleigh. Lib knelt down to help as well.

It was some time later that saw Jillian comfortably leaning against Rayleigh's shoulder an arm thrown over his neck to support some of her weight. Her entire torso was tightly bound in gauze, the bloodied shirt having been cut away and discarded. Thanks to Lib transforming an arm into a wing they had no peeping toms.

Jillian and Liberty tensed, slit eyes widening. The air…Its density was skyrocketing. It almost,_ almost _felt like static electricity but it was more refined, more under the radar so as to speak. The sensation of it breathed over their senses like a feathers caress. It was that light.

_What the hell is this,_ thought Jillian with an annoyed groan. Her chest ached and breathing was difficult. Beside her Lib was looking around, eyes searching for the source of the oddity. What she saw had her yelping in surprise. What they were sensing but _not seeing _was magnetism.

_Holy crap!_

The magnitude of it was powerful. Everything metal in the auction house was raising to its call. They hung in suspended animation for a second before shooting off like a swarm of bees for the door. Knives, swords, guns, belts, wristbands, rings; everything with an ounce of metal was being summoned.

Lib glanced over, eyes wide and awed, to Jillian who pretty much wore the same expression. They were soon roused out of their wonder by a resounding boom and the aftershock that came with it.

The loud crashing noise was like a _come-hither _to the pirate crews. They instantly began moving outside, this included Rayleigh and therefore Jillian and Liberty.

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A word to describe the sheer amount of wreckage; chaos. Absolute unadulterated chaos is what they came out to. Standing at the top of the stairs left Jillian and Liberty gaping at the destruction. Destruction caused by the three individuals posted confidently on the grass a few meters away.

It could only be inferred that all of them possessed a devil fruit of some sort. Liberty shuddered at that. Did all Supernova's have devil fruits?

The mass of crewmates halted at the bottom of the stairs, some commenting on the actions of their particular captain. This went ignored by Jillian who'd adopted a very presaged smile. She stared at Eustass "Captain" Kid, blue-teal eyes glinting slyly. _Hmm_…

Mischievous smirk twisting her features Jillian sent an elbow in Lib's side to get her attention. The telling curl of lips evened out into a calm expression when her best friend looked over.

Though Jillian's face was blank her voice held all the fiendish scheming behind it, "Hey, hey Lib! _I dare you _to _try_ to flatten his hair." This taunt was met with loads of confused blinks and head tilting. A simple provoking glance over to the three captains had Lib squealing and generally making a spazz out of herself. The explosion of high-pitched squalling mixed in with strong repetitive denial had most of the three crews watching the scene between the two dragons. They were funny and were good entertainment.

"…What! _What? Why_ would _I do that?! _Heck no! _No_, there is _no way _I'm going _over there! _No. I won't. Nope."

Jillian just continued smirking, eyes gleaming challengingly. "C'mon, you _know_ you _want_ to. Just _look_ at it, standing up like flames. Like fire. Don't you wonder what his hair feels like? It has to be thick. I _did_ see him glance at you once; I bet he'd let you touch it _if you asked nicely_." There was one skill Jillian had perfected over the many centuries, the skill of provocative talking. She found it_ hilarious _to see what made Lib blow up like an overripe tomato. The squealing was just a bonus.

Liberty stared, eyes wide as saucers, cheeks completely red. If anyone bothered to look closely they could see the blush spread down her neck to disappear beneath her shirt. "Y-you! You! Are! _Impossible! _And he _did not _look at me once! There was_ no _glancing! Why don't _you_ go up to_ Law! See_ if _his_ hair is thick!"

Jillian just shook her head, grin still in place, eyes glinting wickedly. "Now you're just avoiding it. Wow, is Skulley J. Liberty_ really _avoiding a dare?" The barb, or the entire statement had Liberty huffing angrily at Jillian, brown-teal eyes peeking at the tall figure of Eustass "Captain" Kid. _He was really tall._

A moment of charged indecisive silence.

It was a known running gag that when one Gifted gave a 'dare' to another it had to be followed through. It proved you had the guts to be crazy, the mind to be wild, and enough heart to get over it. Or in Lib's case, get her revenge. She was aware of the dodge Jill had done when she'd brought up the hat wearing pirate captain.

A smug smile lighting her face, voice _saturated _with it she conceded, "Okay, fine. I'll do your dare but since _you owe me _for scaring me back there I'll give _you_ a dare. It's only fair, right?_ I dare you _to take Law's hat off and run _your hands _though his hair. We'll see just how thick it is."

And thus the tables were turned.

Jillian may not be as expressive as her partner but Liberty could tell by the two dark spots of color high on her cheekbones that she was blushing for all she was worth. And considering the reward on their bounty posture that was quite a bit of worth. Jillian's plan of humiliation promptly fell on its face. She'd forgotten in her anticipation Liberty's newly made grudge against her. Which she didn't get at all. _Meh, fine whatever. I'll do your pesky dare._

Then the actual dare registered in her brain. Her mind flat-lined, sputtered and crashed inside her skull. Hot guy with furry spotted hat. Law. _Hell no! _Jillian recoiled, face pale, teeth bared, "Fuck that! I'm not going near that guy. Yeah, he's hot but he also smells dangerous! And I follow my instincts!"

Lib rolled her eyes, "No, you're doing it. _You owe me _in case you've forgotten! I don't care if we have to _stalk_ the guy! You're. Doing. The. Dare!"

The two Gifted glared at each other commencing a staring contest.

Tension abounded.

…

Mumbling dejectedly Jillian broke the gaze, sighing heavily. This caused her to flinch the movement tugging at her wound. _Ow._ Liberty preened with triumph to the left of her, smiling broadly. It slipped off her face like loose paint when she remembered _her dare_. _Shit, fuck, fire! Shit, fuck, fire! Shitfuckfire! Oh shit! Just do it, don't even think! Just DO it!_

Hearing that mantra Lib bolted off down the stairs, flipping the bird at Jill when she reached the grass. The Heart, Kid, and Strawhat pirates watched with equal parts curiosity and bewilderment as one of the Wyvern Sisters executed a run and jump. Her target had the Kid pirates tensing, reaching for their weapons at the perceived threat.

It was a big shock to everyone when said wyvern sister did not move to attack but rather leaped on Eustass "Captain" Kid piggy-back style. If the three crews weren't taken aback from such a strange action they were when the woman started to rapidly comb back the Supernova's red spiky hair.

_What the hell was she doing? _It was a collective thought among the pirates as they stared in growing disbelief.

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_She was going to die._

Liberty swore this dare was going to be the end of her. Who in their_ right mind _would run up to a pirate captain and leap on their back all to see if their hair was really as gravity defying as it looked? Who! Ugh, of course, Jillian would think up something like this. But she'd get her revenge, and it would be _glorious_.

All thanks to one Trafalgar Law.

Though she'd have to_ live _through her own dare first. Liberty clung to the Supernova, legs wrapped tightly around the mans well muscled waist, elbows supporting herself on a pair of very broad shoulders. _Oh God!_ With her hands pressing repeatedly down on the flame-like spikes she tried to ignore the fact that she was_ flush against_ a _very_ dangerous,_ very _attractive pirate captain. Damn, her cheeks were burning, searing, _melting _off her face. She could _feel_ it. Swallowing thickly she focused back on her dare; the reason she was in this situation in the first place. _Flatten his hair, just flatten his hair then you can jump off and go die of a nosebleed behind a tree. Simple and easy. _

Tongue-in-cheek Lib started diligently working at _attempting_ to tame the wildly standing hair of Eustass "Captain" Kid. Idly, she marveled at the locks running through her fingers, they were surprisingly soft. Looks could definitely be deceiving if his hair was anything to go by. From a distance people would think the only reason the hair stood up at all was that it was unbelievably thick and stiff. While they were correct about it being thick it was neither rough or coarse seeming. Lib found she liked running her fingers through it.

Not that she'd tell anyone that.

Brows furrowing Liberty let out a growl of frustration. The stubborn hair just_ would not _stay down. It was like playing a game of whack-a-mole just with vibrant vermilion hair. She instantly froze when a deep chuckle met her ears, and being so close body-wise enabled her to feel the vibration of it shake through Kids chest. It had Liberty very, very close to spazzing. _Just ignore him. Just ignore him!_

The weight of a hand landing on her calf made it impossible. Body jerking at the unexpected touch Lib let loose a strangled squeal. Her backwards movement was halted by the grip on her leg that tightened warningly. When she settled down, leaning against the back and shoulders of the Supernova the bruising grip relaxed. Chest heaving, Lib retracted her hands from the mans hair, using them to clasp the wide shoulders so she wouldn't have to fully lean her torso on him.

This was horrible! She'd never been_ this close _to a man before. It was embarrassing, surreal, and really, really scary! Lib swallowed again, brown-teal eyes looking off to the side. She could feel her heart beating at her ribcage, could hear it in her ears too. She yelped when she felt that hand -_ large warm hand!_ - shift over her calf. It didn't matter that her skin was covered by jeans. She could still feel the weight, the heat of the palm pressing against her.

Liberty blanched, body stiffening. _Shit, fuck, fire! Shit Fuck Fire! ShitFuckFire! __**ShitFuckFire!**_

Oh God! The hand was…was _rubbing_ her! This _could not _be happening! Cheeks nearly cramping from blushing so hard Lib did what any spazz in her situation would do; she hid her face in the collar of fur attached to the captains coat. Tried to, at least.

Before she could successfully bury her face in the maroon fur a pale cheek appeared in her line of sight. Too late she looked up and froze stiff. Eustass "Captain" Kid was staring at her through one of his dark red eyes. Time almost seemed to still under the intensity of his gaze and Lib wasn't immune to its effect. There was something dark and predacious about his stare. The power behind it pinned her, locked her down, held her captive; she felt like she couldn't move, couldn't breathe.

Liberty wondered, somewhere in her mind, if_ this _was why Jillian didn't like meeting anyone's eyes. The crimson stare grew heated then, a satisfied quality darkening the gaze. When Liberty had enough presence of mind to break the lock her eyes evidently fell on other visible facial feature. Kids smugly smirking lips. Lips that was too close for any comfort whatsoever.

Skulley J. Liberty gasped loudly, hands shoving hard against his shoulders. In full on freak mode Lib transformed her arms into her wings and flapped them madly. The webbed appendages gave her enough leverage to pull out of the Supernova's lax grip and get away from him. She landed with an ungraceful thud by the stairs.

No one moved or made a sound at the sudden getaway. The crewmates continued to stare dumbfounded at what they'd just witnessed, and the three captains stayed in their self-imposed formation. Until loud laughter shot the silence dead.

Loud laughter coming from a certain Hellfire Wyvern.

This show of hilarity invoked a verbal bitch fight of monstrous proportions. Everyone watching was very much entertained by the vicious back-in-forth between the two best friends. They were even more entertained when they learned about the _dare_.

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Eustass "Captain" Kid smirked at the utter _destruction _in front of him. The marines and their formation had been broken, their forces either dead or scattered. It gave him a sick satisfaction that twisted his smirk into a demented glasgow smile. This…_this _is what he lived for; seeing his enemies at his feet, bleeding out and defeated. Beaten down. Weak. With him standing over them. Dark triumph seared through his veins like a noxious drug.

Nevermind the two Supernova's flanking him. Though, he _had_ to admit (reluctantly) that their abilities and ruthlessness earned them some smidgen of respect from him. Nonetheless it left a sour taste in his mouth. _He_ was going to be King of the Pirates. Not them.

Sneering at the absurdity of such a notion Kid was about to yell for his crew when the unmistakable sound of someone _sprinting_ hit his ears. His mind registered the noise half a second before a _soft something _collided with his back. Body tensing at the possible threat, dark lips pulling into a nasty snarl, Kid began reaching for his dagger.

He stopped dead when he felt well toned legs wrap around his waist and the sensation of hands gently touching his hair. The unexpected action had Kid relaxing into the strange embrace, even leaning into the body plastered against his back. It was a woman…

A woman was currently wrapped around him and combing his hair. _Wrong side, bitch._

While a part of him relished in being so close to a woman after being at sea for so long, another darker part of him gnashed its teeth at the sheer audacity of the faceless female. _Who the fuck does she think she is!_

Did this girl, this woman have a deathwish? Kid didn't feel threatened by the presence gripping his shoulders but it was a source of irritation partially overtaken with curiosity. Of course, the irritation took precedence over the curiosity and he grabbed a leg intending to throw her off. He got as far as wrapping his hand around the calf when he noticed the pant color covering the legs.

Red corduroys.

The violent Wyvern Sister.

The one who'd eventually be joining his crew. Kid felt a devilish grin stretch his face, his grip loosening. Some of that curiosity came slinking back and he indulged in it, his hand moving over the limb. Touch light and caressing. The surprised squeak from behind his head had him nearly chortling in laughter. But when he felt the body tense, muscles in the belly and thighs tightening, he snarled. Immediately his hand clenched around the limb, locking it in place. She was going _nowhere_.

The quiet whine that breathed over his ears had Kid shifting imperceptibly. And having that body, that soft feminine body settle against him was even better. A rapacious grin curled his lips. She was uncomfortable if the way she was trying to lean away from him was any evidence. The grin widened. He wanted to see her face, see how flushed it was. The helpless wide-eyed expression. He wanted to see it.

Kid turned his head, the iris of one eye locking with shocked brown-teal. He'd never been this close to any of the Wyvern Sisters before. But being this close he could really study just how different their eyes were. It was a moment of curious study for the Supernova. The pupil was slit like a reptiles with the ring of unnatural color, teal, surrounding it. A look closer proved that it did, in fact, really glow. It was a soft subtle illumination, one seen more by the peripheral than head-on. The outer color was normal, a brown with hints of honey and green.

Kid decided he liked her eyes. The fact that they were currently wide and staring had him liking them all the more. Then they fell and he could not stop the insidious grin when it hit him that she was staring at his lips.

_Like what you see, bitch? _He would have said it if the wench hadn't ripped herself away from him using those damn wings of hers. But that was okay because he'd be going after her soon enough. With that thought he called for his crew, said one last ultimatum to the two Supernova's, and left.

He didn't look back. He'd be seeing _Liberty_ again anyway.

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Reviews make me happy, as they do any author! XD


	5. Disturbia

**Disclaimer: **Again I do not own One Piece or the song. But I do own my OC's. Mine. So no stealing. This chapter is a long one. Lots of shit hits the fan here.

**Chapter 4: Disturbia!**

_"Well, if they're making it,_

_Then they're pushing it,_

_They're leading us along._

_The hassle of,_

_All the screaming fits,_

_The panic makes,_

_Romorse!"_

**Vitamin R by Chevelle.**

Everyone was leaving, dispersing like spooked birds. Crews moved quickly to catch up to their captains, namely the Kid pirates. With the marines in such disarray it was prime time to jump ship and disappear. No one wanted to stick around for an admiral. Not if they wanted to live to see another day. Only the two Gifted remained still, eyes slinging fireballs at the other. They were interrupted from their silent pissing contest by the voice of Rayleigh, "I will be taking the Strawhats to Shakky's, mind giving this old coater some old company? Or do you have other matters to attend to?"

The invitation appeared to make Jillian extremely happy. But the decision (chance to escape) was ripped from her hands like fine sand in the wind. Liberty, glaring at the innocent look being sent her way by her best friend huffed out, "Sorry, Ray-san but Jill here has some_ unfinished business _with a certain Supernova. We'd go but a dare needs doing and I want my revenge."

Rayleigh released a loud laugh at the utter dismay painting Jillian's expression. These two never ceased to amaze him with their playful banter. It never failed to coax a laugh or two out of him. He just hoped Jillian was sturdy enough to walk around without falling over. She'd been leaning most of her weight on him after all.

"Will you be fine by yourself Jillian? That wound even_ if _bound still looks like it pains you." inquired the Dark King softly, eyes sympathetic. This _was_ the first time he'd seen one of them grievously injured. It was worrisome. As dragons he'd seen scrapes and even a few flesh wounds but never anything life-threatening. Now as humans one of them gets a serious injury. As old as Jillian and Liberty were they still held an innocence when it came to the world of humans. So the only question was…

Were they ready to take on his world, not as wyverns, but as two human women? Rayleigh grew wary when he couldn't come up with an immediate answer. Yet, he knew warning them would do nothing. They were too proud, too headstrong for such suggestions. Stubborn to a fault they marched to the beat of their own making.

"…e okay, old goat. Remember what I am, even if I _look_ like a human right now, I'm not. And I got Lib so we'll be fine." Jillian's solemn voice had the old ex-pirate coming back to himself. Both he and Liberty watched closely as Jillian slowly, achingly took her own weight. Standing by herself brought on a new wave of nausea and pain which easily showed in the shadows of her face. For someone who didn't know Jillian well her expression would have appeared tense and not weary.

And Jillian _was_ weary. Pained and exhausted all she wanted to do was curl up somewhere secure and sleep for a hundred years. A certain_ annoying _Tri-horn was being uncooperative. _Again with this revenge! Ugh!_

"_OI! OLD MAN! ARE YOU COMING! I'M HUNGRY!_"

Luffy's voice even over long distances was still thunderous. It had them all staring, faces set in varying degrees of startlement and exasperation. Rayleigh stepped away from the two Gifted before glancing over his shoulder, a smile of a thousand words on his face. He did not say anything as he walked away, the smile having said all the words he needed to.

Lib and Jill watched him go silently, one radiating agitated dread the other content smugness. Liberty knew all too well what Jillian had been up to when Ray-san had offered them the invitation. "_So_, whose _avoiding_ who now?" quipped Liberty saucily. Her only answer was a scoff; it made her smile. Jill might be injured but it was still her best friend under all those bandages.

She looked funny with just gauze covering her chest. "Hey, are you wearing your bra under that?" The unexpected question had Jillian staring at her flatly, face completely deadpan.

She never got the chance to answer. A sudden hail of bullets had their instincts kicking into overdrive and their adrenaline pumping. The marines had called for backup. To dodge the attack they dropped and rolled, launching themselves into a sprint when they had enough momentum.

What they ran into was utter chaos. "What the_ hell _was_ going on _while we were talking to Ray-san?!" yelled Liberty wildly. Jillian absconded a little ways behind her, pace smooth. The only thing that alluded to her being injured was her harsh breathing and the snarl twisting her face. "If the…scent is right…then the Heart…pirates were the last…ones here. _Damn it!_" If they didn't have heightened hearing that second round of bullets would've made them into Swiss cheese. It definitely made them mad though. One had gotten lucky in clipping Liberty's bicep. The blood dripping down the limb was warm.

Lib ignored it in favor of spitting, "Where the hell are we running to?" It was amazing what pain and anger could manifest into; two very brassed off females. "How the fuck am I supposed to_– _Wait, follow that giant!"

Liberty cast a hasty glance over her shoulder at Jillian to see where she was looking. _Right. _Looking in said direction had her eyes expanding, "A giant! Holy shit! Where the heck did he come from? _Hey_, look it's that bear! _Orange!_"

"Lib follow…the damn giant!" Jillian gasped, holding a hand to her aching chest. It was really starting to hurt.

So they changed course, turning on their heel and bolting right towards a bridge. The giant and the bear were running across it. They had a hill to run down before they reached the same bridge, hopefully they would be able to outrun the marines trying to shoot them. Dodging bullets was getting to be a nuisance, and it was tiring.

**_Wham, crash!_**

Lib and Jill yelped at the loud assault on their ears, eyes going wide when they saw the giant _punch_ through the bridge like it was nothing. A second later Jillian paled. _Shit! _She could not transform as she was now. Her body was still too damaged to perform perfect synergy. "Fuck! Lib, I can't change!" cursed the panting Hellfire Wyvern.

Still running, voice breathy from exertion Liberty replied, "Well, I'll just have to carry you over! When I jump grab onto my feet, okay!" Jillian gave a curt nod, feet still taking her closer to the smashed bridge. This was _not_ going to be fun. Hanging her body weight on her arms would irritate her injury; there would be no escaping the pain. It was already slowing her down. In Jillian's mind that was unacceptable.

She did it anyway. It was the only conceivable option. Tightening her resolve and her jaw Jillian watched Lib leap off the edge of the broken arch. Before gravity could pull her down she partially transformed. Arms changed to black and white wings tipped with teal spikes and her feet turned to claws. Claws which Jillian grabbed on for dear life. She could not hold back the strained groan when her weight dragged at her arms._ Stupid fucking bullet wound! Heal already!_

She couldn't remember the last time she was actually _happy_ to be on solid ground again. "Re-remind…me to…n-never do that…again!" Jillian forced through clenched teeth when they'd landed, fangs bared in a painful grimace. She could feel her body spasm with the pain, it was not a pleasant sensation.

"At least we got over. And none of those stupid marines can follow! Ha!" cheered Liberty happily while giving a fist-pump. No marines meant a very happy Lib. Now all they had to do was find the Heart pirates. Lib lifted her nose slightly, taking a whiff of air.

…_Aha! Got you!_ She promptly began walking towards a ridge off to the far right. The path lead into the giant mangroves. Now that they could walk Jill's breathing was beginning to slow down. That was good, Lib had been worried that a lung would burst with how hard her friend had been breathing.

When they reached the top of the ridge and looked down they were able to see the Heart pirates and their hat wearing captain enter a clearing. They immediately jogged down the ridge after them.

Sonneillon B. Jillian was sick of running. She possessed a very high pain threshold but if her body, her human body didn't get the rest it needed to properly heal it was going to shut down. And with how tense things were getting on Sabaody Archipelago unnecessarily aggravating her wound was tempting fate.

Breathing loud and hoarse from the run down the ridge Jillian bent over to grab her knees. They'd made it into the clearing; the scents flooding her nostrils were strong meaning the Heart pirates were close by. In normal circumstances this would've had her shaking with anxiety and dread but it wasn't. The dare was the furthest thing on her mind at that point.

The fangs of agony were sinking in, injecting their bitter poison into her veins. It spread from her chest, slowly crawling up her throat to her brain. The trail it left had her body burning, her breath hitching. Mind hazy and mouth dry Jillian could feel herself sway, tilt dangerously to the side. A bolt of searing pain ricochet up her ribs, her eyes blurred at the intensity of it.

Her knees buckled.

The new flash of pain pulsing in her knees was just another ache she had to contend with. It was with faint coherence that Jillian recognized the scent of her best friend, the hand on her shoulder only proved this fact. She could feel the heat to her kneeling beside her. Under the pounding of her ears she could Liberty speaking to her but the words were muffled and distant.

One thing she _could_ understand was the tone of urgency. Jillian's brows furrowed.

_What was she worried about?_

They'd caught up with the Heart pirates hadn't they? Once this God awful pain passed she'd dredge up enough guts to do her dare without losing it. So what was wrong?

Another voice floated into her ears. This one was deeper, more masculine with a smooth glide to it that had Jillian melting and going defensive all at once. She didn't like it; hearing it, the husky quality echoing in her ears, had her stomach clenching for a reason beyond her comprehension. And with so much pain clouding her mind her capacity of understanding was at an all time low.

It was pure instinct that had her recoiling from that voice. And Jillian listened to her instinct more than anything. Whoever owned that voice needed to stay away from her and vice versa.

There was a lull in the anguish and she was given a moment of relief. Idly, while sitting on her hands and knees, she decided she never wanted to get shot in the chest again. If this is what she had to go through for being a good samari—

The shrill shriek of terror jerked her from her thoughts in time to see the oncoming light.

Just before impact her mind registered slamming against something.

Something hard.

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Liberty had anticipated it. Being a skilled toxicologist had given her prior knowledge of just _how_ much stress a human body could take before collapsing. And Jillian was nearing her limit. That's why she wasn't surprised to see her best friend go down when they'd found the Heart pirates. They might be nigh invincible as dragons but while traversing around in their human bodies they were twice as vulnerable. And Jill was only proof of that vulnerability.

Concern shining in brown-teal eyes Lib knelt next to the badly shaking form of her best friend. That concern deepened when she didn't seem to notice or acknowledge the hand she'd placed on her back. Was the pain so bad that it ripped all awareness away? Liberty felt her heart clench when she leaned down to see Jill's face.

She was sweating.

Jillian never sweated. Never. But what disturbed Liberty even more were the pair of dull eyes that were usually bright and intense. The voice of Trafalgar Law had her jumping up, eyes wide. It had sounded _entirely_ _too close_. She whipped her head to the side and blinked.

"Huh?"

It was under that stare, that cold analytical stare that Lib felt insignificant for the first time in her life. It was different from Kid's. In his gaze lurked a sort of primal rage tempered by steely intellect. A literal ticking time bomb. The grey eyes of Trafalgar Law were those of a sleek predator. There was a darkness to his gaze, an unfathomable gulf hiding a cunning mind.

And his eyes _burned_. Absolutely burned with possessiveness.

It was only then that she realized he was staring at Jillian.

Liberty felt her stomach churn sickly.

"I asked if Miss Jillian was given any anesthetics before the injury was bandaged."

Liberty wanted to ignore the Supernova, to flip him the bird, and tell him to stay the_ fuck away _from her best friend but she knew better. The growing impatience in his voice warned her not to mess with the man. Even if it had her gnashing her teeth in revulsion she answered him.

"Yes, she was." Simple and curt. Just how Lib liked it with people she didn't like. And she was beginning to not like this man.

Thankfully no more was said between them, Liberty had no words for such an unnerving man. Yeah, he was hot but a pretty face accounted for nothing when one was heartless. That's exactly what Law was; heartless. His eyes were heartless. Dark, greedy, possessive, all of the above!

An unfamiliar voice had her looking up along with everyone else.

"_Trafalgar Law, bounty: 200,000,000_."

Said captain tensed, gripping his nodachi tightly. His stance was deceptive, appearing relaxed when really he was waiting.

Waiting and ready.

Liberty's eyes widened. Was that…was that Bartholomew Kuma!

The Shichibukai's mouth opened again, but no words came out.

Lib barely had enough time to let out a scream and lunge off the ridge before it exploded. She landed right behind where the Kid pirates were currently posted, weapons all out. For a moment she sat there, stunned and shaken. Sheer terror receding slowly she abruptly cried out; _Jill_ had been on her knees, she wouldn't have seen such a rapid attack coming. Nor would she have been able to move to dodge it.

_Oh god! Oh god! __Oh god!_

_Jill!_

Frantic with fear and anxiety she searched the cloud of thick dust that was thrown up from the attack. She couldn't see _anything! _It only made her freak out more.

A snide voice momentarily distracted her from her panic, "Oi, Trafalgar. You're in my way." It was Kid. But where was Law?

Then she saw the silhouette of someone walking toward Kid in the dust cloud. It was…Law. He was unscathed. How the hell had he dodged that attack without acquiring some form of injury. She could already feel the bruises. Not to mention the second degree burn on her arm.

_Wait._

Liberty looked closer at Law before she went completely pale.

Oh God.

Law was holding Jillian.

Law had _saved_ Jillian.

_Shit, fuck, fire!_

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Jillian returned to consciousness sluggishly. Some part of her brain wondered when she'd blacked out in the first place. She hadn't succumbed to the pain of her injury; it had been slowly receding after its flare-up. So what had caused it?

…_A scream._

…_A masculine_…_voice_.

…_Something_…_hard._

_Hard?_

Remembrance came like lightning. There had been a light. A _dangerous_ light she could not evade. Someone had grabbed her. Saved her. _Who?_

It wasn't Lib, she was certain of that. Her nose never lied; her best friend didn't smell like…warm spice and…electricity?

_Huh?_

Jillian grew confused because she didn't_ know anyone _who smelled so…so _intoxicating_. She didn't care to wake up, her body felt like crap, but she'd face anything if only to smell more of this scent. It was both soothing and sharp in its fragrance. The way it coalesced in her nostrils like stormclouds before permeating her mind nearly had her feeling _drunk_.

Inhaling softly Jillian opened her eyes, woke up, and was promptly bitch slapped by reality. Sound came roaring back with a vengeance and her senses reignited with a flourish. There were three things she noticed immediately.

One, someone was gripping her hip and lower back.

Two, her front was plastered to what felt like soft Polyester.

Three, she was staring at tan skin.

Jillian swallowed very slowly, her gut twisting with nerves. Lib's skin tone wasn't the color of rich mocha. _Please, no! God, please no! _Though her senses were awake everything but her faculty of touch and sight was muffled. She could vaguely hear shouting, crashes, and other strange noises. But they didn't register as anything important. The odd heat burning into her back took more of a priority. It felt like hot steel was wrapped around her waist, pressing against thin gauze. A weight, a vice, held her by the dip of her hipbone.

It was a _hand_. She could feel the fingers, too masculine in length to be Liberty's. They gripped her firmly and pushed her against what she knew to be a chest. A _male_ chest. Something flipped uncomfortably in her stomach. Her face reddened; oh God, she was being held by a man! A fucking _man! _

It wasn't the fact that her hands were clenched around suspiciously _familiar _clothing; no, what was _damning _was that she'd been _nuzzling_ the strange tan skin. Strange tan skin that belonged to a neck. She had _her face buried _in someones _neck_. God, whoever was holding her needed to set her down so she could go hide under a rock. This was embarrassing.

_Nuzzling! Gah! I do not nuzzle!_

Now she knew why the scent was so overwhelming. The neck was where scent was strongest. And to any Gifted it was a _very_ sensitive spot.

Jillian furrowed her brow. There was something white in her peripheral vision. It had been there, unmoving, for a while. Her head turned, mind noting faintly that whoever was holding her had nice lean shoulders. She could feel the muscles quivering under her chin. Jillian stared. She stared and stopped breathing. _No_…

Brown.

Brown on white.

Spots.

Hat. Fur.

Her mind computed the sight of a furry spotted hat like quicksilver and promptly dived off the deep end. She groaned at the unfairness of it all. One part of her mind wanted to denial it; say some random stranger was the one to hold her so intimately and not_ him_. Anything but _him_. Jillian paled…and abruptly squealed like a stuck pig.

_Hell no! Why! Why me! _

The low husky chuckle that caressed her ear had her reeling out of her grogginess. Jillian ripped her head away from the Dark Doctor's shoulder, blue-teal eyes wide and shell-shocked. The jerky movement did not upset the grip the Supernova had around her waist. It was tight and unyielding. There was something distinctly…_possessive_ in the way Law held her.

It had her hands fisting in the material of his hoodie. _She belonged to no one! _Fury. Pure unadulterated_ fury _pulsed through her veins. Just the thought of what he was conveying silently drained away the panic and gave her the strength to meet the gaze of the _Surgeon of Death. _

Jillian almost, _almost_ faltered when she locked eyes with the cool piercing stare of Trafalgar Law. Grey. His eyes were grey and so very cold. Like frigid ice chips. Jillian had to choke back the gasp at the intensity, the sheer _focus_ he was staring at her with. Her body went stiff as a board in response. She wanted to look away from him but that would be admitting weakness. And Sonneillon B. Jillian was _not_ weak. This was exactly why she didn't like meeting the eyes of others. It left her feeling too exposed, like they could see everything, every secret, every scar. Everything. It was just too_ intimate_. And she knew nothing of intimacy. Not truly. Not when it involved a man. And Law was too close. Way too close.

Jillian rebelled against the proximity, self-conscious and angry, the instinct to flee gripped her. The hands against his chest actively started pushing at him. She noted fleetingly that his pectorals were well toned and well muscled. _Don't think that!_

That particular thought proved to be the last straw and with a hiss Jillian spat, "Let me go!"

Those grey eyes darkened, narrowed, became stormy and jagged. The bloodcurdling smile on his face thinned, became razor-sharp. She swallowed dryly at the calm, warning tone he spoke with. No doubt he felt the shiver go down her spine.

"You'll find that I don't take orders well Miss Jillian." Her name on his lips was like the crack of a whip, quick and painful. _He knew her name!_ She flinched; that voice, she'd heard it before. It swam in her memories. Like velvet it washed over her cold and smooth. She didn't like it; how easily this man could steal away her control, her balance. This man…She did not know how to deal with this man.

_Get away! Get away, damn it!_

Legs tensing she started kicking them, struggling against him. Law didn't seem all that bothered with her flailing as he let her slide down his body until her feet hit the ground. Not one kick had landed but she was on her feet now. _Even ground._ Jillian _almost_ started regretting it; she had to look _up_ to glare at him. _Damn being so short! Damn it!_

But this is exactly what Law wanted._ Her _looking _up_ at _him_. The subtle show of dominance was like a beacon of focus for her anger. A lightning rod. Fuck being scared of this man, she was submissive to no one. But the Dark Doctor was anticipating the escape attempt; his arm tightened, pulling her flush against him. It had Jillian going red in the face again but a sudden _bright interruption _stole the breath of defiance from her lips.

It also had her facing that muffled reality.

And _screaming. _

Screaming because Law had suddenly _moved. _Jillian was thrown against his chest, chin connecting painfully with his collarbone. But it didn't stop her from screaming for all she was worth. The sound of the _blast_, for that was the only thing it could be, nearly had her ears bleeding. It was terrible and deafening. All she could do was lean on Law, burrow her face into his chest and hope the heat, the furious pressure of it would stop. Her life was so fucked up. Here she was pressed up against_ her target _in the middle of a beat-down and she couldn't even _do her dare_.

Clearly someone was attacking them. Trying to _kill them_. That blast _had_ been meant to obliterate and destroy.

_Obliterate and destroy. _

All her anger for Law evaporated. Replaced by the realization that she was on a _battlefield_, that the shouts and grunts bombarding her sore ears meant there was an _enemy_ around. Fighting. People were fighting and _she wasn't._

Dead weight. She felt like _useless dead weight_. Law was lugging her around like a sack of rice. He was dodging, on the defensive. While she thought him wholly _irritating_ for holding her so close she didn't want to see him killed. Jillian cursed that she was injured. She couldn't transform, couldn't_ help_. It sucked having a hole through your chest.

The second realization was worse.

Liberty.

Where was Liberty?

Wild concern spread through her veins, had her adrenaline pounding. She needed to find Lib. "Where is my friend, Trafalgar? Where is _Liberty!_" her voice came out raspy and hysterical. She got no answer from the Supernova. With an impatient growl Jillian tilted her head back to face the asshole. _How dare he ignore her!_ He wasn't looking at her. Didn't even seem to be paying her any attention. His gaze was trained on something behind her.

…_Battlefield_…

He was watching the enemy. No wonder he couldn't listen to her, he was busy evading those deadly beams of condensed energy.

Well, she'd just have to go find her best friend on her own then. Restricting arms be damned. _Law_ be damned. She was like the wind, it could not be owned or corralled. Blue-teal eyes narrowed at the grinning Jolly Roger on the chest of Law's hoodie. She had hoped to only use her secret style as a last resort but he was giving her no choice. She'd have to use Dim Mak.

With a glance to see if he was looking Jillian lowered a hand from its position on the Dark Doctors chest and swiftly jabbed a knuckle into the Radial nerve of his arm. The effect was instantaneous. She heard the hiss of breath above her but that didn't stop her from shoving away from Law. She'd hit the Radial pressure point hard enough to have his arm falling limply by his side. He wouldn't be grabbing her anytime soon. Not if he wanted to keep holding his prized nodachi.

Jillian sent Law an obstinate smirk over her shoulder before joining the fray. She studiously ignored the potent stare of displeasure he watched her with as she ran straight into hell. And it _was hell_, the clearing she'd glimpsed prior to losing consciousness was now wrecked beyond measure. Gashes and scorch marks dominated the area. The amount of rubble and debris lying around was shocking. It didn't even look like a clearing anymore.

How long had Law been holding her?

_Too long!_

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Bartholomew Kuma.

The Kid and Heart pirates were up against _Bartholomew Kuma_.

One of the seven Warlords of the Sea.

_They wouldn't survive._

Since escaping the grip of Trafalgar Law Jillian has taken note of several things. One of them being that Eustass "Captain" Kid had been the cause of the magnetized weapons in the auction house. Jillian tried not to stare at the massive arms of constructed metal. They acted just like his own pair. _He was a devil fruit user. _Another thing was the orange clad bear; he really knew how to throw-down. She'd have to watch him closely, he was on _Law's_ crew. And anything having to do with _that man _was quickly becoming intolerable. The man himself was intolerable.

The last and most notable thing was Liberty herself. She hadn't seen Jillian yet because she was fighting along the first mate of the Kid pirates. They were both going at the warlord. Liberty had her two Dirks out in a reverse grip, stance low for more balance and maneuverability.

Jillian drew a long breath through her nose, smelling scents, checking for blood. There wasn't enough in the air to suggest serious injury. _Thank God. _But everyone definitely had plenty of scrapes and lacerations.

It was a good thing her chest wasn't throbbing horrendously. Concentration was key for a battle like this; she could not have pain clouding her senses. Not paying attention was a sure-fire way to get yourself killed in _any_ fight. And if she wasn't careful she'd end up bringing Liberty down with her.

That is why Jillian ignored the urge to call out to her partner-in-crime. Fighting as she was any distraction on her part could prove fatal. So she stayed quiet, on the edge of the battlefield, and observed. If it was anything Sonneillon B. Jillian was a master at it was observing. Reading people, finding their weaknesses, and exploiting them was a skill she'd honed over the centuries.

And she applied that skill now. Being wounded meant no close range fighting for her. As much as it rankled against her pride Jillian was sensible enough to know when it was futile to interpose.

She watched…and immediately sensed that something was wrong. It had niggled persistently at the back of her mind ever since she'd first laid eyes on Bartholomew Kuma. Jillian had never met the warlord but knew vaguely about his power. He was one of those rare devil fruit users.

Blue-teal eyes narrowed. Scrutinizing. Vigilant.

Nostrils flared delicately.

Lips frowned.

_Wha-what was this? What was she smelling?_

Bartholomew Kuma smelled of steel, oil, and hydraulic fluid. He smelled like a machine…

_The hell? But isn't Kuma human? This doesn't make any sense!_

Jillian stared at the warlord intently, confused brain noting listlessly that Law had joined the fight.

Something didn't add up. If the warlord was human did that mean _this Kuma _was a fake?

He sure as hell didn't _smell _human, thought Jillian with a scowl. What with all those laser beams coming out of his mouth and hands. The only being she knew who could produce such dangerous energy was that ugly bastard Kizaru. And Bartholomew Kuma wasn't that ugly. Well, his imposter anyway.

She had to tell Lib. She also had to be extremely careful when getting her attention. Dodging one of those beams seemed hard enough for the two pirate crews and they weren't heavily injured. While she could use Dragon Speed it would strain her Synergy more than it already was. And she was still getting dizzy fits here and there from Rayleigh's Haki blast. Damn stuff would have her insides up in knots for days. Haki, it was a real pain in the ass.

Jillian stiffened, ears perking at hearing a loud shout. It had been Kid. The pirate captain was locked in a dual of power it seemed. Metal arm outstretched he shoved it right at the beam of deathly light coming straight for him. Though she couldn't see his expression Jillian got the feeling he was grinning insanely, red eyes crazed with battle-lust. _Crazy bastard! He's gonna get himself killed pulling shit like that!_

Indeed it was a reckless move, but the captain was taking it in stride as with an unseen push of magnetism he sent the metal under his control cleaving through the attack. Eyes widening Jillian dropped to the ground just before a shockwave of heated air pulsed through the clearing.

Super heated metal and pure energy was combustible if that explosion was anything to go by.

Even cursing such a wild offense Jillian saw the opportunity it presented. _Distraction, distraction! Go! Go! Go!_

Jumping to her feet she hit the ground running; there was no time to lose. Her chest constricted miserably at the pace she'd set but adrenaline was helping to stave off the crippling pain. She would not fall to her knees again. She _refused_.

Lungs burning from exertion Jillian ran past silhouettes in the cloud of smoke and dust. She ignored them all, gaze pinned to the last place she'd seen Liberty. Her best friend had been off to the left of Kid and by a strange pale man with blue dreadlocks and wicked thorn tattoos.

"LIB!" the name seemed to be swallowed by the dissipating smoke. It only made her more determined to find Lib. "Meh!" If Liberty was within hearing range she'd sound back.

Nothing.

"MEH!" Jillian called louder, forcing her voice to travel further. Impatiently, she cocked her head to the side to listen.

…

Then she heard it. A very faint echo. Jillian whipped her head side to side attempting to pin point the distant voice.

"…_h_."

"…_eh!_"

"…_Meh!_"

It slowly grew audible the more she ran until she-

Ran right smack into someone.

Due to visibility being_ zero _said someone immediately reacted by swinging a very _familiar _dirk at her _head_. Good thing Jillian was flexible because it had just saved her life. There were perks in being able to bend over backwards. Dodging knives was just one of them. Knive_s _because there were two and the second one was flying for her bandaged chest like a bee to honey.

_Oh Fuck!_

With a cry Jillian shifted her weight to her hands and threw up a leg, the sole of her boot catching the blade of the knife in the downward thrust. The force of the kick had the wielder gasping before ripping the weapon away. A moment later a hesitant voice met her ears, "Jill? Is that you?"

The unsure question had all Jillian's emotions _exploding._

"_Of course its me you dumbass! Who else _would be running around in this shit _yelling_ 'meh' at the top of their lungs? _What the hell _were you _doing!_ Do I _look_ like the enemy to you! Huh? _Do I? _God, my chest is fucking hurting now! Ugh! What the fuck, Lib!"

By the end of Jill's angry tirade the cloud of obscurity had settled and the form of Skulley J. Liberty was visible. A very shocked, very bedraggled Skulley J. Liberty. Wide brown-teal eyes stared dazedly for a second before she came back to her senses and promptly launched herself at Jill.

The Hellfire Wyvern never saw it coming. Adrenaline and instinct were no match for a relieved and shaken Liberty. There was no time for Jillian to avoid the hug. So she stood there best friend literally _wrapped around her_ and scowled dourly.

Voice bored and slightly annoyed, "Are you _done_ irritating me? We are still in the middle of a battle as you can see; hugs aren't allowed. Let go." The grouchy statement was met with a happy squeal. Or was it a giggle? _Who the hell knows!_

Liberty relinquished her grip and stepped back a happy smile gracing her bruised and dirty face. They both probably looked like shit. With all the explosions going off each one showering everyone in the clearing with another layer of crud _no one _looked pretty.

"Sorry, geez. You know how I get when I can't see stuff."

Jillian shook her head, expression grim and agitated. "_Yeah_, I do. You scream and swing your dirks wildly. _Next time _scent before you attack!"

Liberty threw her hands up, having sheathed her knives, and—

Shoved Jill to the ground.

The breathless gasp of pain ripped from Jillian's lips when her chest roughly connected with the ground followed by the weight of her best friend. It was _excruciating. _But the blindingly white light shining through her eyelids offered a reason for such hasty and _utterly painful _action.

They'd just dodged one of those deadly light beams.

The enemy had noticed them.

_Bartholomew Kuma._

_Fake._

Shit.

She needed to tell Lib it was a fake.

A second blast of heated light had them rolling away from each other in a desperate evasion. Instincts blaring to _move your asses_ the Wyvern Sisters leaped to their feet, eyes scanning the area for other beams and allies.

The Heart and Kid pirates were spread out, looking bedraggled and weary but determined nonetheless. Out in front, standing tall were the two captains. Kid was breathing hard, fists clenched, floating metal forming a sort of halo around him. Even from the side Kid looked tired.

Law wasn't much better. Clothes dirty and rumpled, furry spotted hat matted with dirt, and hoodie covered chest heaving; even the "Surgeon of Death" was frowning. What was even more incriminating was the limp arm hanging by his side, useless. Jillian stared at the limb, an unfamiliar echo of something panging in her chest. Her jaw clenched at the feeling, eyes darkening with vexation.

She was _not _feeling _guilty_ over disabling Trafalgar Law. He was fool enough to have designs on her, fool enough to think _he had a chance_. He wholly deserved that dead arm. She regretted_ nothing_.

"Lib, that thing is a fake. Its scent is all wrong. Not human, but a machine of some sort."

Short and curt. That's how Jillian liked her explanations.

Liberty stared at her owlishly for a moment, brown-teal eyes gleaming skeptically. She turned back to the figure of Bartholomew Kuma. Now that she thought about it there was something a bit_ off _about the warlord.

For one he could shoot laser beams. And Liberty had no memory of hearing such a power where Kuma was concerned. Two, there had been _no blood whatsoever _from the wounds she'd made on his body.

No blood from any wound actually.

"You think it has an off button?" The inquiry was murmured curiously from a thoughtful Lib, eyes darting around the _machines_ figure. Jillian licked her dry lips, stance widening, weight shifting to her heels. It was a battle ready stance, one that lowered her center of balance in preparation for a fight. Lib mirrored her with her own stance, hands pulling wickedly sharp dirks out of there sheathes on her thighs.

"We'd have to move fast to get a good look in and my stupid body is already weak enough as it is." Jillian scowled down at the bandages covering her torso. Though she did not regret taking the bullet for Hachi she did regret not being able to fight side by side with Lib.

It was in that lull of silence right before Liberty moved to reply that they felt the gaze. Someone was watching them. Both Gifted tensed, heads rising to see the would-be warlord staring right at them. They stiffened, the amount of threat in the air setting their instincts on fire.

It was worse when _its _mouth opened.

Like lightning the two pivoted to the side, legs propelling them to what was supposedly safe. They skidded to a stop when no beam of light gouged the space between them. Instead the voice of the artificial Kuma assailed their ears.

"_Wyvern Sister, Sonneillon B. Jillian_."

Liberty blanched. Bartholomew Kuma or _it _had uttered those same words to her in the beginning just before he…—

It happened fast.

Too fast for anything other than instinct to push her forward. There was no time for thought, for indecision.

Skulley J. Liberty bolted in the direction of her best friend. It was with an innate knowledge that she knew what was coming. She could not allow it to pass; Jillian had been struggling with her injury, the pain of it gleaming from her eyes. Anymore and she'd be past her breaking point.

Putting on another burst of speed Liberty tore across the last of the space and_ threw _herself in front of Jillian.

A second later her body was snatched brutally from the ground by a hard,_ metal _hand. Sure it was covered in what appeared to be skin but underneath was cold and metallic. She let out a choked gasp when her brain registered the pressure clamping down around her body. It was _tightening_.

"No!" Jillian shouted furiously, eyes wide and terrified. Others reacted angrily as well, including an enraged snarl from Kid. Neither Jillian nor a dazed Liberty heard the sound of possessive rage.

Torso compressed between giant fingers Lib glared half-heartedly at the _machine. _It was quickly growing difficult to inhale and exhaling was impossible. There was no space for her ribcage to expand. A weak cry slipped past her lips when she felt the grip tighten more.

The shouts escalated in volume.

Liberty's ears popped from the pressure.

"_Wyvern Sister, Skulley J. Liberty_."

A sense of déjà vu washed over her at hearing that emotionless drawl. But this time there was something foreboding behind those words. It lingered and taunted, a wicked conspiracy heralding imminent hell.

"_Course of action: immediate annihilation."_

_White _hot agony _drilled_ into her back.

Liberty screamed.

And screamed.

And screamed.

_Vicious_ pain bit and _dragged _across flesh. Lib screamed until her throat could no longer contain it; her lungs giving out from lack of oxygen. The world fell away, white spots exploding over her eyes, stealing her sight. Her eyes stayed open, though, gazing blankly out. The anguish that licked at her back like fire had her jaw clenching so hard it brought tears to her eyes. They slipped down her cheeks unnoticed.

God, it felt like her back was _splitting_; like a serrated rusty blade was rending a jagged line down her spine. Lib whimpered as it engulfed her completely. Merely a thread of consciousness held on to reality. Vaguely she could feel her head lull to the side weakly.

Absolute havoc began then, and she could faintly hear maddened bellows and shocked cries filling the clearing.

A deep, buried part of Liberty's subconscious recoiled from the encroaching black oblivion. …_Jill was still out there, still injured_…

She fought against the pain, the crushing agony holding her captive. The more _civil_ part of Lib's brain had shut down in the wake of such anguish, yet in its place stirred the deepest of instincts. A dark primal entity; a beast who ran on pure destructive emotion. It woke, snarling and forcing itself to the surface. It had been threatened, its existence was at stake; it rose to the call of self-preservation.

Brown-teal eyes bled completely teal. The color was so bright it appeared neon. Slack lips pulled over fangs in a bloodletting snarl of primordial rage.

Then she _transformed_.

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Eustass "Captain" Kid was frozen. Actually frozen with shock. It was worse than when he'd been shot in the thigh by one of the seven Warlords of the Sea. He'd been bashing Bartholomew Kuma with his arms of metal. His crew doing the same, trying the beat down the warlord through sheer force. Anything would eventually give when beaten into the ground so many times.

But time had worn on and his energy had lessened with the continued use of his devil fruit. His men were also tiring; they would never admit to it, they _were _on his crew after all. And Kid pirates were strong, they did not run from fights like pansies. Trafalgar Law and his crew were just collateral.

The appearance of _Liberty_ was even better. Watching her fight and with his first mate was like she was unconsciously calling herself a Kid pirate. It brought a delicious feeling of triumph to his gut at the sight.

What happened next ruined any semblance of satisfaction.

The other Wyvern Sister had gotten away from Trafalgar Law to rejoin with his soon-to-be crewmate.

He wasn't the only one to notice their reunion.

Before anyone could do anything Bartholomew Kuma lunged for the two Gifted, shooting a beam at them. They dodged successfully but it left them separated. Kid remembered his face tensing, dark lips parting to release a furious shout when he saw _his_ dragon in the hands of that _fucking bitch. _

And for the first time in his life he derived no pleasure, no glee at hearing someone scream. The massive hand holding Liberty squeezed but that wasn't what was causing the agonized wailing. It was his _fingers_. They pressed cruelly into the back of the Tri-horn Wyvern, rending a bloody ravine along the spine.

Kid was left with an intense feeling of _homicidal fury_.

The snarl of unadulterated _black_ rage snapped him right out of his anger. It echoed around the clearing, stopping everyone in their tracks. Such a sound was _not human. _But he never got the chance to see Liberty's face before blindingly white light burned his retinas. It disappeared quickly leaving everyone deteriorated.

The roar that shook the ground was deafening.

It was wholly primal; the murderous intent behind it heating Kid's blood with excitement.

The beast was massive with a smooth scaled black and white body; its wings acted as its forearms and were tipped by sharp teal spikes. Another set of spikes donned its back eight in number. They were deadly weapons if used right. Two short horns crowned the head and were also bright teal.

A wide bloodthirsty grin nearly cracked Kid's face in two as he watched _Liberty _spear those wicked looking spines attached to her wings into the sides of Bartholomew Kuma. He realized that it was a move to hold the warlord still. Which wasn't happening.

A yellow light foreshadowing a beam of deathly energy had the two pirate crews on their guard. If the dragon, Liberty, didn't move soon she would be hit point-blank in the chest.

What they saw had countless eyes widening. They heard the unmistakable sound of energy firing but there was no explosion. No roar of pain. The dragon didn't flinch back as if hit. Confusion abounded at first before logical deduction took its place. _She'd swallowed the beam! _Everyone balked. There was a rumbling snarl that had everyone staring. The wyvern was drawing its head back followed by what sounded like a flare being ignited.

One thought was collectively asserted.

_She was going to spew flame._

The enraged form of Liberty did just that. It was like nothing Kid had ever seen. The pure destructive _force_ behind the fiery breath was _staggering. _It broadened that already wide insane grin; Kid was loath to look away when he watched_ his _soon-to-be crewmate literally_ incinerate _the warlord into a pile of refuse.

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Sonneillon B. Jillian feared for her life.

Not for herself, no, but for the life of her best friend. That life, a life she valued above all others was being compromised by a _fucking machine_. Jillian cursed herself to the deepest pit of hell for not reacting fast enough. She'd stood there, face startled as_ it _had snatched Lib right in front of her. And she'd done_ nothing _to prevent it.

Just stood there in a stupor and watched as her friend was gripped between those fingers. Fingers that were slowly compressing. Slowly meaning to kill. Hearing the choked gasp was just another pain to her chest she didn't want to focus on. She_ had _to do something. She had to get Liberty out of that hand. Or it would likely crush her.

She had to _save_ her!

Two tattooed arms encircling her waist stopped her flat. Jillian froze; she could feel _his_ chest pressed firmly against her back. But this did not have panic rushing through her veins, rather it had white-hot fury boiling her blood. A second irritation was the sight of_ two arms _wrapped around her waist and not _one. _Looks like her dead arm had finally worn off.

Jillian sneered at this. She did not have time to play with the Dark Doctor! With a growl Jillian whirled around, fingers poised to hit the throat. It was a deadly pressure point. Most times if hit hard enough the trachea would collapse. Yet, this fact did not stop Jillian's hand.

A much larger hand did so. The hand was bruising in its grip and Jillian hissed as she felt her fingers throb. This led to immediate backpedaling which nearly left Jillian's fingers dislocated from the fact that Law would_ not let go_. _Dickhead! _But she pulled herself free with a jerk.

A swift pivot had her back on track towards the imposter Kuma. Her forward motion lasted four steps before Jillian felt something _wrench_ her arms behind her back. The shock of pain _fulminating_ from her shoulders tore a cry from Jillian.

"If I have to stop you again, I _will _dislocate your shoulders." Law whispered in her ear, tone rich with malicious warning. To show he was serious in his threat he pulled her captive wrists higher up her back. Jillian couldn't help the groan that slipped past her lips at the new wave of pain. It left her gasping for breath which sent pangs through her chest. _Urgh! Goddamn it!_

"W-would you _let go! _That's my friend _dying_ over there, asshole! I have to save her,_ you piece of shit!_" Jillian growled over her shoulder, body writhing in an attempt to free herself from Law. Said captain didn't release her, didn't even loosen the painful hold on her wrists. Pitiless grey eyes stared down on a head of teal curls, the emotion in them dark and turbulent. Below them lips were set in a thin line of malignance. Law was quite _displeased_ with the situation.

"You will not leave my side again. With your injuries any action on your part will get you caught and killed." The words were low and mocking, slinking into her ears like honeyed poison. The tone of it, the words themselves, and the way he spoke them right into the shell of her ear had Jillian's temper rising.

"_Fucking bastard! _Let me _go! _If you think I'm going to_ stand here _and listen to _you_ while _my friend _is in troub- _Arrgh!_" The sudden onslaught of pulsating agony emitting from her shoulder joints had a shout issuing from Jillian's lips. A snarl curled them soon after.

"If you don't want dislocated shoulders, Miss Jillian, I would recommend that you _stop _ordering me around." Jillian expected hot fury but the voice hissing into her ear was unbearably cold. Cold and calm. It had the hair on the back of her neck rising. There was a tightly constrained anger behind that façade of mocking politeness.

Jillian would've slumped under the pressure Law was exuding on her arms if not for the sight of Liberty losing consciousness. Seeing her friend pass out from compression had a burst of desperate adrenaline coursing through her veins like dam water. It had an infuriated cry escaping her lips when her head fell limply to the side.

It was enough to spur her into action.

Jillian instinctively knew she had to drop her center of gravity to escape. It would hurt like a bitch but pain was something she was beginning to grow accustomed to. What was a little more. She dropped to the ground, a grunt of pain shaking her chest in that moment of resistance. Having picked her legs up so abruptly Law either had to let go of her arms or tumble down with her. But she'd made a miscalculation.

Sonneillon B. Jillian did not take into account just how tall Law was. So instead of releasing her he merely bent his knees to compensate. Though her unexpected move did have the grip on her arms loosening. It was enough of a window to counter move.

As soon as Jillian felt those hands on her go lax she threw herself on her side. It was a highly painful position because her shoulders was wrenched in a ninety degree angle. Well, almost. This new onset of pain gave her the initiative to _retaliate._

Face grimacing in discomfort Jillian drove a leg towards Law right leg. She hooked her ankle behind his knee too quick for him to properly react and _jerked _it out from underneath him_. _But Jillian didn't stop to watch him fall as she rolled out of the doctors hold as soon as it disappeared. She was just about to shove herself to her feet when_ that _snarl roared through the clearing.

_Oh. Shit!_

Blood Rage.

Liberty was under the influence of Blood Rage. _Fuck! Fuck! __Fuck!_

When a Gifted is threatened by an outside force to the point of impending death their instincts awaken. Not the usual flight or fight instinct but a deeply intrinsic proclivity that lives inside a dragon. To a human it could be called self-preservation. Only the_ self-preservation _of a dragon is quite alive; it could think, calculate, and communicate with everything around it. But those occurrences were rare among the Gifted. There was a reason it was called Blood Rage.

Because a Blood Rage was always triggered by circumstances that brought on an overpowering fury. Jillian hadn't seen Liberty in one in over four hundred years. It was shocking. What was even more shocking was the attack the Blood Rage used. Reflect Breath was an advanced technique for any Gifted. It called for the swallowing of an opposing energy, internalizing it into ones system, and deflecting it back on the enemy.

The outcome of Reflect Breath solely depended on the type of dragon a Gifted was. If a dragons natural breath could not meld with the antagonistic force entering them than the consequences were usually fatal. It was not a technique for an inexperienced Gifted. It was also a technique hardly used _because_ it was so dangerous.

Jillian watched, eyes impossibly wide, as Liberty's Blood Rage released the mixed breath on the fake Kuma. It sounded like a blowtorch from hell. The turquoise fire literally _melted_, cremated anything solid it could reach. And with Reflect Breath it was even more eradicative.

There was nothing but sizzling ash on a scorched spot of ground when she was done. But the smell…

It had Jillian whining, stiff bruised hands clamping over her protesting nose. God, the smell was _horrible_. She wanted to _gag_. It was burning the inside of her nostrils. The heavy intrusive scent of hot oil and metallic ash was nauseating, simply _nauseating._

The howl of primal distress that rocked the clearing wasn't from the repulsive stench though.

Jillian cracked open an eye to see the Tri-horn Wyvern rear back on its hindquarters, spiked wings flaring erratically. The pose brought the bloody laceration rending Lib's back into sharp relief. It was a torn, ragged looking wound. Just the sight of it had Jillian crying out.

It was terribly deep, the red of muscles showing between the stretches of skin. It steadily dripped blood. The warm crimson liquid crawled down the back like a macabre cape. Liberty was losing a dangerous amount of blood. Her accelerated healing would be hard-pressed to close such a wide surface wound. It nearly stretched the length of her back.

Liberty's Blood Rage let out another piercing shriek before lowering to all fours again. Then the eight teal spikes on her back started_ glowing_. The two pirate crews stared, Jillian crowed jubilantly when she recognized what the Tri-horn Wyvern was doing.

Of course the Blood Rage would know how to save itself, save Liberty. By using Ancestral Reversion. The ability to activate the genes and traits of two ancestors. It was very draining to use and so wasn't implemented often.

One of Liberty's ancestors just so happened to be a Nocturne dragon. They were blue-scaled Westerns with solar absorptive powers. They never ran out of energy because sunlight was plentiful. That is why they were able to heal far quicker than other dragons if hurt severely. The unlimited energy of the Nocturne dragon would bolster the accelerated healing into an even quicker healing speed. Some of the Gifted called it instant regeneration.

The term wasn't that far off.

With a rumbling growl the Tri-horn Wyvern seemed to shudder bodily, the skin around the shredded area slowly knitting together. It was a disturbing sight to watch for a normal person, yet the two pirate crews surprised Jillian.

Whoops and catcalls erupted from both groups as the wound stitched itself steadily. There was not one hint of disgust among them. For the few who'd seen the ability usually reacted with revile.

When the injury closed fully the Tri-horn Wyvern reared for a second time, head thrown to the sky as if in triumph. The light that appeared right after had everyone shying away with muttered curses.

Jillian was already sprinting toward the light before it disappeared.

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"…ake up! Damn it, talk about _role reversal_. No wonder you were so _pissed off _at me. Oi! Lib, _wake the fuck up!_"

Skulley J. Liberty shifted moodily in her sleep at the racket. It really needed to_ shut up _and go away before she woke up. But the noise, a_ voice_, persisted doggedly. _Go away, you stupid fuck! Trying to sleep here!_

The voice didn't go away which only irked Liberty more.

"…Wake up! Oi,_ fuckface _wake up!"

And an irked Lib was a violent Lib.

"I'm _not_ going to stop _bugging you _until you wak- _Arrgh, damn it!_" A fist to the jaw had Jillian reeling back on her knees, one hand holding the abused area. Her lips were pulled in a dark scowl as she glared down at the prone form of her friend. A very winky-eyed moody best friend at that.

"_Good_ morning to _you_ too,_ lizard_." Jillian snorted irritably. All she got in response was a sluggish groan and a muttered, "Fuck off." This was met with a finger jab to the axilla pressure point. Nothing too hard, as it was a dangerous point to press. Jillian pushed just enough to send a shock through the axillary artery.

It had Liberty sitting up with a loud, "Urgh! _Fuck you_, Jill! I was_ taking _a _nap!_" Jillian continued to glare irritably at her best friend.

Liberty stared groggily at Jillian and wondered why she seemed so agitated. Well, of course, there would be _some_ hostility to the situation. She had almost died, and was feeling like hell. No, worse than hell. Yet, Liberty sensed this was not the issue, something else was setting off Jillian.

A low warning growl emitting from Jillian had Lib looking up. _Oh, so that's why Jill's tense._

Since the destruction of the fake Bartholomew Kuma the Heart and Kid pirates had reassembled by their captains. They stood flanking the two Gifted on either side and stared with tired watchful gazes.

Liberty noted several expressions at once. Most of them she _did not like_, especially when they were pinned on her and Jillian. There was a particular tension in the air, like the calm before the storm. It was a subconscious unease triggered by a slight hunted feeling. Jillian being the more sensitive of the two was probably feeling it worse than her. _Poor Jill. _

It was a nerve-wracking sensation; a literal weight in the gut that only grew heavier the more they were stared at.

Suddenly there was movement. Liberty blinked, eyes trained on the tall red-haired form of Eustass "Captain" Kid. He was pointing at her, narrowed red eyes intent. It sent her heart racing for reasons she couldn't comprehend.

"Oi, you're joining my crew." Short and filled to the brim with arrogance. It wasn't even a question; it was a command to be followed. For a moment his words didn't register in Lib's foggy mind but when it did…

Liberty stared, balked, and spat a drowsy, "Hell no!"

Kid's smirk curled into a snarl. "_Bitch_, you're joining my crew, whether you fucking like it or not."

If there was one thing Skulley J. Liberty hated it was being ordered to do something. And Kid had just crossed the line. Even if she was pretty much drained to the dregs of her energy she still hissed at the captain. Brown-teal glared sleepily at Kid the message in her gaze clear. _Fuck you, asshole!_

Kid sneered in response, blood-red eyes sparking angrily. _Fucking bitch thinks she has a choice. _Kid stepped forward intending to grab the woman and show her _why _he had the highest bounty. A guttural snarl and a body blocked his view and his target. It was the shorter Wyvern Sister, the one with long teal hair and blue-teal eyes.

He met those same eyes with an annoyed scoff. "Don't fucking interfere or I'll kill you." The threat slid off the dragons back like water; it irritated him that no fear crossed her expression. Kid's hand started to rise, the air around him churning, his devil fruit stirring inside of him. But before he could spit out "Repel" a certain Dark Doctor butted in, smirk in place.

"You weren't threatening a member of _my _crew were you Mr. Eustass?" Kid immediately turned his temper on Trafalgar Law. The man was standing not far from him with his crew surrounding him. He had that _irritating _smile that drove Kid up a wall every time he saw it. Mockingly polite with a healthy dose of bloodcurdling darkness behind it. Kid sneered at the doctor.

Aggressive red eyes met cold grey; they were like two alpha males squaring off. Jillian and Liberty watched the stare down, both swallowing as the air grew thick with murderous tension. It had them swallowing, mouths dry. Jillian felt a small spurt of resentment for Law's possessive connotation. _Stupid fucking possessive jerk!_

"Psst…I think _now_ would be a good time to _get the hell outta here_." Liberty whispered softly, inching back on her hands like a sloth. Jillian followed and they both crept backward imperceptibly.

Jillian and Liberty paled, _froze_, and literally stopped breathing when two stares of blood and ice flicked to their position. Laying on the ground under those gazes Lib and Jill felt their guts shrivel fearfully.

Bloody eyes narrowed, "Where the fuck do you think your going?"

Kid's sentiment was echoed by the Heart pirate captain. "I hope you weren't trying to_ leave_, Miss Jillian."

The Gifted swallowed in unison, minds blank with startled fright. While Jillian was frozen still under Law's icy stare, Lib was _desperately_ searching for _something_ that would take those evil crimson eyes off her.

That something was, once again, Trafalgar Law.

…_Dare._

_"_…_I dare you to take Law's hat off and run your hands though his hair_…_" _

Liberty would've danced around in glee for the distraction if she wasn't so damn terrified at the moment. It was with a mustering of shriveled guts that Liberty turned to her partner-in-crime, not even caring that she was about to throw her under the bus, and forced out," Oh _I_ see now. You did all this to get away from your _dare_. Well you don't fool me Jill! Your still going to do your dare!"

Said Hellfire Wyvern turned, eyes glittering with confusion and relief, before the color abruptly drained from her face. Liberty almost, _almost_ felt sorry for what she was about to do to her best friend. But she _had_ said Law was hot, so it shouldn't be _too_ bad.

Arms crossing with a little too much exaggeration (nerves) Lib stared Jillian down. She nodded toward Law who unsurprisingly caught the directive. Stance laid back, inquisitive smile curling mocking lips, Law inquired on the obvious question.

"And what dare might that be?"

Jillian glared at her friend, blue-teal eyes dark and crocodilian. Lib wasn't put off by the feral stare, rather she grinned widely. She knew it was just a façade to hide just how_ scared shitless _she was.

"I refuse to do my dare just because_ your dare _got you all flustered."

Liberty ignored the hissed statement in favor of answering the Surgeon of Death. "Oh just the same dare I had to do, I'm sure you remember."

Cue intense blush.

Kid joined in on the conversation then, dark lips grinning devilishly, "Flustered, eh? If you'd have _stayed on _I would've made you more than a little _flustered_." The blatant sexual innuendo combined with the heat in Kid's eyes had Liberty experiencing a mental breakdown.

Her friends shell-shock was amusing to Jillian who was just happy the spotlight was off her until the smooth voice of Trafalgar Law cut in, "Come here, Miss Jillian, you wouldn't _want_ to be seen as a coward by backing out of a dare?"

Now Jillian was the one going through a mental breakdown.

_Coward. That fucking asshole just called me a __coward! _

_Cowardcowardcowardcowardcowardcoward!_

Jillian abruptly leaped to her feet, face dark with fury. The sudden movement seemed to jog Lib out of her stupefaction and she looked at Jillian with knowing brown-teal eyes. _It's about time!_

Lips curling over sharp canines Jillian glared into the smug eyes of Trafalgar Law. She stalked determinedly toward the smirking pirate captain an agitated snarl crawling up her throat. Her temper blocked the gazes of the other pirates, ignored the curious chatter on _dares_.

All she did was stalk toward the smirking bastard who'd called her a_ coward_.

_She'd show him!_

Fury pulsing hot through her veins, Jillian stepped up to the Surgeon of Death. At only 5'3" she barely reached Law's shoulder. She bared her teeth at the languid delectation swimming in his grey eyes. The aura of smug anticipation had Jillian's temper roiling and clawing at her to _do something_. She glared with all the disdain she was feeling, and instantly felt another spurt of indignation when she had to _tilt_ her head back to meet the grey gaze.

_She looked up to no one._

Anger guiding her actions Jillian rose on her tiptoes, blue-teal eyes never leaving amused grey, and slid her hands underneath the furry spotted hat. The sensation of soft strands gliding through her fingers had the haze of prideful rage draining away like water down a pipe. The equally soft fur against the back of her hands was just another shock to her system. That and the warmth. Jillian went very, very still.

The husky chuckle that breathed across her face had her gasping, mind breaking the surface of the strange daze she'd fallen into. Raising her head her eyes met the lazy gaze of Law. The glint of masculine satisfaction was something Jillian chose to ignore but the emotion lingering behind it had her warning bells ringing. And ringing loud. It was that lingering emotion, that subtle _promise_ that had Jillian noticing just how close she was to Law.

…_W-hat the hell am I doing…?_

She was _too close_._ He _was too close.

Exhaling had their torsos brushing. Jillian swallowed thickly. Their faces were _way too close_.

It was _dangerous_.

Law's whisper-soft voice floated to her ears, tone all silk and shadow, "Are you enjoying your dare, Miss Jillian?"

She wanted to run and run far from this man. He was dangerous. He made her feel strange things, her self-control was non-existent where he was concerned, and it was that loss of control, that security that scared Jillian. It made her_ afraid _of this man.

Unbidden a quiet whimper slipped past numb lips. The sound was fuel for Law's smile; it was a dark triumphant show of emotion. It was the smile of a predator.

Law leaned down so he could meet Jillian's frightened gaze. "Answer my question, Miss Jillian."

Jillian could hear the blood roaring in her ears, could feel her heart hammering in her chest. She could feel the heat of his body through her clothes and the heat watching her from out of those haunting grey eyes. She was frozen, caught like a puppet before its puppeteer. And Law controlled the strings.

She didn't know what was happening. One minute she is _so _pissed off that all she was set on doing was walking up to the unnerving bastard and shoving his hat down over his face. Then, here she is feeling weak in the knees, hopelessly caught in the grey depths of Trafalgar Law's eyes and she's answering him like a loyal minion.

"…Y-yes."

It is quiet and Jillian knows she's just done something irrevocable. Something horrible. In the numbness of her mind she could've sworn she'd heard the sound of a trap door snap shut. The sound echoed, spiraling round and round in her head. Some part deep in Jillian stirred, ignited, and whispered.

_No_…

_Do not give in._

_Fight. Fight him._

_Stay free._

"No." Jillian said it softly but it held no hesitation. Law stared into the blue-teal gaze of Sonneillon B. Jillian; he immediately noticed the change, as slight as it was. It had been a sweet victory when he'd discovered just how pure this particular Wyvern Sister was. Her reactions to his proximity were those of a virgin. It was easy to see she'd never been touched, nor approached by a man.

Law smirked. "No what?"

Blue-teal eyes abruptly cleared, filling with an intense dislike. Her voice was just as low as his but with undercurrents of menace. "No, I'm _not _enjoying this. Not even remotely you _perverted son of a bitch_."

The hiss of hostility was followed by a loaded shout of, "_Lib!_" At the same time Jillian ripped her hands out from underneath Law's hat and threw herself backward.

A moment later a smoke bomb went off.

When it cleared only the two pirate crews were left standing.

Law continued to smirk.

It was barely there but it mirrored the dark shadows playing across his cold grey eyes.

Cold grey eyes that gleamed knowingly.

_She'd lied._

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_Uh-oh._

That one word repeated in Liberty's brain like a broken record. Abrupt motion from Jillian always foreshadowed a snapping. And Jillian's body was under enough strain without adding an explosion of rage. From what Lib could tell the bandages around her friends chest were barely holding her wound together. There was no red showing through the gauze but enough strenuous activity could easily change that.

Jill's gunshot wound was too fresh an injury to be wholly closed yet. It would take time and heaps of rest to heal. Liberty herself needed a good amount of rest. Desperately. What she_ really _needed was a secure place to hibernate for a few days to recover her reserves. A Blood Rage coupled with using Ancestral Reversion was so far beyond exhausting that she didn't know what to call it.

All she really wanted to do was find a hole in a tree, preferably warm, and curl up in a ball for some sleep. Though she was extremely happy to get her revenge. Jillian deserved it for all she'd put her through.

Sitting on the ground left Lib two things to ponder. One, Jillian's payback. _Ha!_ And two, how to get away from their present company.

The answer was easy; smoke bomb mixed with a touch of Cypripedium Acaule. Having just fought a battle the two pirate crews were tired and worn. They would be highly susceptible to the effects of the sedative.

They wouldn't have the energy nor the motivation to go after them.

And with how weak her and Jillian were it was a blessing.

"We never_ finished _our conversation, dragon." The coarse growl from above her and the shadow blocking the sun had Liberty squeaking, head whipping up. What she saw had her yelping in fright and startlement. How had Kid walked over without her notice. He was standing above her with a raunchy grin.

She swallowed, throat uncomfortably dry. Those crimson eyes were hellish and downright wolfish in their intensity. They ravaged everything in sight, drawing in unsuspecting victims and drowning them in a pool of violence.

Lib found herself drowning.

Drowning in the blood of his gaze.

_Look away._

_Run._

Body quaking to life Liberty started crawling backward. Standing and running wasn't an option yet, her back was still recovering.

It was safe to say she didn't get far.

Liberty had crawled three feet before a pale fist had twisted itself into the fabric of her shirt and _yanked. _Without the energy to pull away she was unceremoniously ripped to her feet. Exhaustion was no match for Liberty's stubborn streak; she struggled, a hand raising to claw at his fist.

"Fighting me won't help you…I, however, find it rather _entertaining_." Kid grinned sadistically, grip tightening. With a laugh he pulled his fist up so Lib was dangling in front of him. The loss of ground under her feet sent those brown-teal eyes panicking. It only provoked Kid further.

"Are you flustered yet? _No? _Well, I'll just have to change that won't I bitch." If Liberty's heart was pounding before it was hammering now; the sinister glint in twin red eyes as well as the deepening of his voice was like a death sentence. It had her instincts blaring and her stomach clenching with something she didn't want to put a name to.

There was something wholly _evil_ behind that taunt.

"Put me_ down_, you dumbass!" Lib shouted the demand into his face, intent on distracting herself from her bodies strange reaction. Even_ if _it was unhealthy. And everyone knew that yelling at Kid, incensing Kid could get you killed.

Liberty wasn't so lucky.

"What…did you just say?" he growled quietly; a tightly round wire about to _snap_.

The Tri-horn Wyvern stayed silent, glaring defiantly.

Kid snapped.

With a roar he threw Lib to the ground. It wasn't gentle, not in the least. Rolling three times and skidding a few feet did not equal gentle. Liberty felt skin break open against rough ground and couldn't stop the weak cry of pain when her back scraped over gravel. The new muscles and ligaments that had been repaired were still new, still weak, and the beating they were going through was a beating they just couldn't handle.

This left Lib gasping breathlessly, arms wrapping around her torso in search of relief that wasn't there. The large hand like a vice around her neck had Lib flinching, but it didn't stop Kid from picking her up again. He sneered at his dragon, she was powerful so he would need to _teach_ her just _who_ was the captain. If she learned fast the better for her but if she didn't…

His hand squeezed soft flesh, his excitement growing when it incited a pained whimper. Hanging there, chin leaning on his wrist, she looked pathetic. _Weak._ Yet, Kid had to remind himself that the woman whose throat was clasped between his fingers had destroyed a warlord. Killing her would only ruin her value as his subordinate.

Snorting disdainfully Kid leaned close, dark lips hissing, "Maybe that will teach you to not back talk me in the future, wench. Now where were we?"

Those last words had Lib's mind waking from its pain induced haze. It also had her sleeping temper flaring. Eustass "Captain" Kid was just a violent man who took rejection like a pussy.

_Was she really fearing a man like him?_

_Well, I shouldn't!_

"Like _hell_…I'd ever _learn_ anything…_from you!_" Liberty placed her hands on Kids wrist and pulled herself up. If she didn't take some of the pressure off breathing would become more difficult than it already was. "And _you're crazy _if you think _I'd ever join _the crew of an abus_–_"

Teeth biting down _hard_ on the soft flesh of her earlobe had Lib choking back her spiteful words in exchange for a startled squeal. The hand gripping her neck stopped her from jerking her head sideways to escape. She freaked. _What was he doing? What the hell was he doing!_

The hot moist _something _laving the blood away had a strangled noise gurgling in the back of her throat. _Oh fucking God!_

He was licking…

Liberty's brain short circuited.

That unfamiliar churning in her gut intensified and she whined in confused distress. She shouldn't be feeling whatever she was feeling right now. She shouldn't be feeling anything _at all. _

Kid pulled back wanting to see the results of his_ ministrations _but she wasn't looking at him. Growling in annoyance Kid reached out with his free hand and grabbed her by the chin, forcing her to look at him.

Lib's breath hitched; his eyes were like magma, livid and fiery. They gleamed cruelly through discs of blood-red. Kid chuckled rapaciously, enjoying the game, relishing in it tremendously. He could stare at those slit eyes for hours and with her as a crewmate he'd get to.

Kid smirked at the pale face of his dragon and wanted to push further. Wanted to see how far he could go before she really started to struggle. He pressed closer to her, pulling her by the neck till she was nearly leaning against him. The slight shudder he felt from her told him that she was very aware of their position.

She was _flustered._

Skulley J. Liberty was utterly and completely _overwhelmed_. She was _way_ out of her comfort zone.

Everything about Kid had her warning bells going crazy. He was too big, too abrasive, too dominating for her to be even _remotely_ comfortable near him. So she wanted to_ not _be near him.

The words coming out of his mouth were rich with decadent egotism, "How about joining my crew _now_, bitch?"

It didn't even sound like a question; it was a bald-faced threat. One that had Lib's dormant temper stirring for the second time.

_Fuck you and your stupid crew!_

Just as she was about to spit those exact words into Kid's face a weak sounding, "_Lib!_" had her attention drawing elsewhere. The voice had sounded so heartachingly desperate Lib felt like gasping.

_Jill!_

_It was Jill!_

A lightbulb suddenly went off in her head. She was getting the message. Jill wanted out.

_The bomb_…

Jill wanted her to throw the bomb.

What was worse; she'd sounded scared.

Jill wasn't scared of anything.

That strange fear, the weak pleading tone of desperation drove Liberty to act. And act she did.

With a hiss of breath Lib met Kid's hellish gaze and smiled nastily. At the same time she sent her right hand into her pouch to grab the bomb while reaching out with her left towards Kid. She didn't give herself time to freak out over what she was about to do, she just did it.

Liberty whipped her hand out and grabbed the odd goggles sitting on Kid's forehead and _pulled_.

She chucked the bomb directly over her shoulder into the center of pirates right as she released the goggles.

The resounding smack and snarl was something that Lib ignored in favor of escaping the loose hold around her neck.

With a shout of "_Jill, this way!_" she sprinted off through the smoke and high-tailed it out of the clearing.

She did not see Jill bolt into the mangroves on the other side.

* * *

AN: So tell me what you think. Good, bad, horrible, shoot me, pass? In other words...**Review! **Can't be that agonizing to write a few words that you're already thinking.


	6. I Spy Teal

Well, this is a monster. If you love long chapters than you're in for a treat. This is full of character development (I hope) and new characters. And if you like citrus it has that too. Nothing lemony but its enough to get your nose going. *Cackles evilly*

**Chapter 5: I Spy Teal.**

_"It's not meant to be like this,_

_not what I planned at all._

_I don't want to feel like this, yeah,_

_so that makes it all your fault._

_I feel a weakness coming on, _

_big trouble, losing control,_

_there's no way out, they've_

_got control. Point of no_

_return. One second to go._

**The Walk by Imogen Heap**

Sun.

Trees.

Birds.

Bubbles.

Rocks.

Liberty ignored all the things that would've brought delight had she just been taking a walk beneath the mangroves. What she did pay attention to was pain; pain that constricted like wire in her lungs, pain that stung the pads of her feet like hot needles, and pain that licked like fire at her back. It all meshed together into one big mass of agony that dragged at her as she ran. Ran from the clearing, ran from the strange but frightening heat that sat like lava in her belly.

Ran from the man who _put it there_.

Skulley J. Liberty did not run from the situation.

No…

She ran from Eustass "Captain" Kid. But she was not conscious of this fear; it dwelled in the back of her subconscious, a small unused part of her psyche. A part that had been stimulated by the unknowing advances of a Supernova.

This unused part festered with confusion. It snuck into Lib's mind and twisted it like a dagger till all she knew was a tense ball of discombobulation. But she ran with it because it was just another weight on her shoulders. Just another form of pain that spurred her faster, farther through the trees.

Arms close to her sides, strides long yet jerky, Liberty sprinted. The air seared at her sputtering lungs and her head was growing light from exertion; her vision began blurring dangerously with white spots. But, she shoved them away, instinct driving her forward, saying _flee flee flee_ and she listened loyally.

It was _only _instinct and adrenaline that kept Lib moving. And move she did; Liberty flew over the ground as if hell itself was after her, face pale with strain and desperation born of painful circumstances.

It was safe to say she was on autopilot.

Body drained, back aching something fierce all Liberty wanted was a nice warm place to rest and recuperate. But the more groves she ran past the more open the terrain became. This had panic adding its speed to the already frantic pace the Tri-horn was running at. Lib didn't know how long her body could last at such a pace, but she had to find shelter.

It was something she had to find or else she wouldn't survive. Hibernation for a Gifted was risky in itself; out in the open and in enemy territory was suicide. The marines would find her and she'd be at ground zero.

_Death._

The word careened around in her head, bouncing wildly, filling her noggin with images that only compounded her anxiety and exhaustion. Despite this it kept Lib's legs moving, kept carrying her away from the danger.

Distance, time, repercussion; none of these were given precedence in Liberty's mind. She didn't care to know how long she ran, only that she get somewhere safe.

A tree root caught her ankle—

There was no time to scream.

At the velocity she was going her mind never fully registered the abrupt change in direction.

The impact of flesh colliding with dirt was jarring.

Then the world exploded into a flurry of angry red paint, white spots, and…

Darkness.

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Terror.

An acute sense of confusion.

Daze.

Jillian was in a daze. A dream.

None of this was real.

_He_ wasn't real. A figment of her nightmares.

But the pain in the soles of her feet, her hand, her body were too real for her tastes.

It echoed in her mind, pulsed through her limbs, laughed in her ears. It would not let itself be forgotten. The situation - the man - would not be forgotten. _The feeling_…

That unknown churning in her stomach. The heat in icy eyes. The promise weaved in smooth liquid tones. It haunted her, nipped at her sanity, bit at her heels, forced her _faster._

And faster.

She ran to escape. Over cold hard ground, under roots, through brush; nothing would stop her flight. Nothing. For it was not only fear that spurred her on but instinct.

It whispered in a language she could not hear but understood nonetheless.

_Fly. Fly away fast lest you be caught. Fly._

She flew and under the staggering weight of her frenzied emotions her mind crashed. Crashed, failed, screamed, quieted.

It was the intangible force of instinct that prevented Jillian's body from following her minds descent. Her sense of self was completely taken over by automatic pilot.

And automatic pilot had one purpose.

Shelter. Hibernation. Rest. Heal.

Simple if not for the utterly weak state her body was in. The fact that she hadn't found a place worthy (safe) enough to slumber in was also grating. Grating in the desperate, fearful way that stole rationality and planted crazed panic.

If Jillian didn't find somewhere to hibernate she would lose it. And it wouldn't be pretty, nor would it be advantageous to the situation. All she needed was a deep hole, a well hidden niche, a po—

Jillian stopped her leg motion, not even conscious that it sent her flying into a nearby mangrove. The collision sent vicious spikes of fury through her torso and she gasped at the pain.

Yet she did her best to not be overwhelmed by it. For she didn't have the time or the attention for pain. She had to find what her nostrils had gotten a whiff of. Concerning any Gifted it was a Godsend.

Jillian had scented water.

Gingerly picking herself up from where she'd landed Jillian limped back to where the smell was strongest. Walked over a knoll and through some brush revealed the base of a massive mangrove but its roots were surrounded by water.

The sudden staggering onset of relief was so powerful that it brought the Hellfire Wyvern to her knees. And sitting there she was allowed to breathe; her lungs had long since grown numb to all the abuse they'd been subjected to. It was with heavy tortured convulsing of the chest that Jillian breathed. One hand was planted firmly on the ground while the other clasped the bandages to her ribs. The hand clenched into a fist, the adrenaline was slowing, the monster that was her pain was waking up.

She had to get in that water.

She had to disappear.

Body finally given a reprieve from the hellish pace she'd set it _absolutely refused _to rise. She was forced to crawl, to inch toward the pool of water. But she was happy to.

It was an unconscious liberation of stress that had stuck like tar since she'd entered Sabaody Archipelago.

Now. Now she could let it go and drift.

With a sigh Jillian slipped into the pool of clear water, half-lidded eyes closing in bliss. The water was calming, its currents caressing her wounds and banged up body. There was a very deep intrinsic bond between a Gifted and water. It was their friend, their confidant, their home, their_ essence_. It was safe.

Jillian didn't care that she was falling deeper and deeper into the maze of submersed roots. She welcomed the abyss, welcomed the sea life around her, welcomed the darkness that rose to take her away.

And thus she drifted.

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**Day 1: Somewhere in the lawless grove.**

"Still haven't found her?"

The voice was cool with an unmistakable edge to it. The edge was very slight, hidden under layers of calm irony. Law leaned languidly against a wall, dark eyes shrouded by his hat as he surveyed the two men in front of him. They shifted somewhat nervously under his gaze, hands shoved deep in identical white boiler suits.

It had been over twenty-four hours since the fight with the _pacifista. _Since Law had let Jillian go. While it was true that he could have easily stopped her from leaving he wanted to see her capacity. Oh, he'd catch her in the end. He was confident in his ability to apprehend her again. But before such a time came he'd enjoy the chase. He'd enjoy the _reactions_.

Law smiled; a small devil-may-care smile.

The _Surgeon of Death _looked over his top engineers. Shachi and Penguin. He'd sent them out early in the morning to search for the Hellfire Wyvern. By their expressions when they'd approached him the search had come up empty. Just like he'd anticipated.

"Same as last time. No hint of teal hair anywhere captain. It's like she disappeared." mumbled Penguin cantankerously. A hand came up to scratch at short-cropped hair beneath a black flaphat saying 'PENGUIN' on the bill.

Shachi, a man wearing a green and red beanie hat, nodded in agreement. Arms crossed over his chest he huffed, "Do you want us to go look over the forties? She's not in the lawless groves_–_"

"No, we're returning to the sub. She won't be out today." With that said Law steadied his nodachi over his shoulder and walked away. The small smile was still present. It was easy to understand. The Wyvern Sisters had the ability to humanize themselves but they still weren't _human. _They were dragons. Creatures who could think and talk as he could yet still followed instinct. Instinct that took antecedence over human intuition. This discovery came from the simple fact that Jillian had growled at him; a warning in the animal world to stay away. Also the way her blue-teal eyes gleamed with something bestial. It was a sharp feral glint; calculative and dark.

Creatures - animals - who'd been wounded would immediately seek out someplace to recuperate. It was easy to deduce the reason none of his crew ever caught a glimpse of her. She was hiding and healing. So he'd wait, he was patient in his games. If what the Dark King had said was true he'd be seeing Jillian soon enough. So there was no rush.

A few feet back stood the two engineers, faces pinched in rumination. They glanced at their retreating captain before glancing to each other shrugging. Their captain was a secretive man. A cold ruthless man. It was rare when he chose to share his thoughts with anyone, and most times you wouldn't _want_ to hear them. Hands deep in their pockets they moved to catch up. Law did not like telling orders twice.

"What do you think he meant by 'she won't be out today'?" murmured Shachi curiously. Penguin seemed to contemplate the question, mouth in a slight frown. He had no clue.

"You expect _me_ to _know_ what goes on in _his head?_" It was an annoyed grumble.

Shachi looked over to his crewmate and friend. "Hey, I was just asking a question!" Penguin stared flatly, snorting derisively, and muttered, "Yeah, that's the problem."

"Hey! There is nothing wrong with being curious!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night besides your teddy bear."

Shachi glared.

Penguin snickered.

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A man of lean stature wearing a blue and white mask calmly walked up the gangplank. The wooden walkway lead to the deck of a large Sloop-of-War. It had two masts and a rather dominant metallic theme going. Killer, as the man was named, sauntered across the deck stride fluid and confident. He headed straight for the captain's cabin.

Killer studiously ignored the crew who quietly watched him. They knew the screaming would start soon. Kid was never patient when he wanted something. Not in the current circumstances.

The first mate grabbed the gold handle and walked through the door without knocking. If anyone had tried that they'd be slagged six ways to sunday. Killer hadn't even closed the door before a hissed, "Well?"

Kid was definitely in a mood. It didn't bother Killer. Over the years he'd gotten used to his captain's explosive temper; it was easy for him to read and navigate around it.

"I've not seen her."

Irritation flashed over dark red eyes and they narrowed. A moment later the sound of a fist cracking against wood could be heard. Eustass "Captain" Kid stood, chair overturned, fist resting where he'd punched his desk. An angry snarl darkened his face.

"Then _where the fuck _is she?"

Killer stayed silent, stance relaxed compared to Kid. The Supernova let out an impressive growl, hands fisting tightly. His body was extremely tense under the heavy coat of maroon fur and gold. Murderous thoughts spiraled, grew, and sprouted. With such tension came an inexplicable hum. It was nigh silent but the telling vibration of every piece of metal in the room was evidence to what was happening.

It happened every time Kid got more than a little angry about something. His devil fruit was rather…unruly at times. It showed the most when he was pissed off as he would unknowingly send out a pulse of magnetic energy. It was harmless if you knew where every piece of metal was.

One of Killer's hands reached down to grasp his shaking scythes.

He waited.

It would end soon.

Kid glared at the black wood of his desk, the roiling pit of rage howling for blood. It slowly, ever so slowly quieted and he picked his chair up and fell into it. He was not happy, not even content. He wouldn't be until he had his dragon on his ship.

But the _bitch_ was being stubborn. Kid sneered. "I want every damn crew member on the lookout. If she thinks she can hide from me," Kid picked up a metal cup, eyes looking it over calmly. His suddenly bared his teeth and crushed it inside his fist, "then she's _dead_ wrong. I'll hunt that wench down."

Killer nodded before he turned to leave. His captain was an interesting man, only for the fact that he wasn't completely lost to his temper. No, under that thick layer of violence was a mind with the aptitude of forethought. He had an almost feral sense of intuition that had never led his crew astray. Along with that intuition was cold hard calculation. Calculation fit to brave the deadly seas of the New World.

Kid was strong. He was powerful but he knew his devil fruit wasn't almighty. The weapons harness he wore was proof that he knew his devil fruit wasn't invincible. It was this intelligence that earned Killer's loyalty. He would never follow a weak captain. Never.

Killer stopped on the deck, hidden eyes taking in the figures spread out over the ship. They all stared at him knowing he was about to speak. The orders were short, three words of instruction, but the crew understood the ulterior meaning.

"Look for teal."

_Capture on sight._

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**Day 2**

"Captain's done it again." muttered Spine pensively.

"What? Shot off your dick? You never had one-…"

A loud scuffle could be heard from the mouth of an alley. The two wrestling were a study of contrast. Spine, being the heavier set one, possessed a blonde mohawk. While on the other hand his weasel of a brother, Snake, was lanky in body and sported an orange mohawk.

The fight went on until Spine caught Snake in an armbar. The pressure on his arm had Snake wiggling and cursing. It had Spine laughing smugly.

"Care to tell me that _again_, partner?" Exceedingly arrogant and taunting. A Kid pirate all the way.

"Ah, go to _hell_ you big _bastard! _And let me up or else I'll tell the captain you we're _sleeping_ during your shift!" Snake smirked at his brother who had a pale expression. Not a moment later did he feel a fist in his shirt and a growled, "You better not! Asshole, I'll sneak snakes into your damn shower again if I have to!"

Now Snake was the pale one. It was a well-known fact and a running gag among the ranks of the Kid pirates that Snake hated… _hated _snakes. After a prank involving a drunk 'orange twin', a shower, and a bucket of harmless sea snakes the name had stuck.

Only because the man had squealed like a girl at gunpoint before running out of the shower naked and screaming like a pansy. Afterward the crew thought it funny to call him by the creatures name as a tease. It wasn't the crews fault that they forgot Snake's real name. They wouldn't have called him by it anyway.

"Fine, you overgrown sow rapist! _Fine_, I won't tell him but you owe me three more beers."

This incited grumbling from Spine who rolled off his older brother. Yup, the little orange shit had been born first. How that was possible Spine didn't know. As far as he knew all the brains were in _his_ head.

The mohawk twins rose to their feet, a hefty scowl stealing over Spines face. "Nah, we can't hit any bars yet. You heard Killer yesterday! He wants everyone out looking for that wyvern sister. The one with the short hair that jumped captain." The last part was said with a leering snigger.

Both Spine and Snake had been supremely entertained at the sight of a _woman jumping _their moody scare-the-piss-outta-you captain. No one, woman or man, had had the guts to even approach Eustass Kid in such a way without pending immediate death.

The woman definitely had the spunk befitting that of a Kid pirate.

She certainly had the vocabulary of one.

Dusting off their clothes the two pirates walked through the alley that led to a main street. They had been out since early morning searching the lawless groves. It was now close to three in the afternoon and neither had seen a hint of teal.

Not _anywhere_.

To say that over the span of forty-eight hours Kid's temper had thinned was a gross understatement. The man was positively _seething _with impatience. The lower members of the crew saw fit to stay well away from him while he was like this. If you wanted to survive around Kid for more than a week you learned real fast how to read his mood.

Those of his inner circle didn't worry much compared to the rest of the crew. They were veterans, senior Kid pirates. Besides being close to the captain they also held high positions that were essential to their merry band.

Spine was an expert hand-to-hand and marksmen. A sniper who could hit a bird sitting two hundred yards away. Snake was the Kid pirate tracker and rigger. He was the fastest body up in the ropes. More of a monkey than a snake.

"Wonder how long she'll last as a Kid pirate?" Snake said thoughtfully. Spine snorted, glancing at his brother behind dark shades, "Well, with what she did to the captain I won't be surprised if he guts her as soon as he gets her."

Snake shook his head, "I don't know. He didn't gut_ me_. Captain's been known to throw curve balls every once in a while."

"It will be interesting, if nothing else, to watch."

The orange twin grinned at the blond. "Damn right!"

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Deep in the Heart pirate submarine, level 2, sat five men. They lounged in varying poses on bunk beds chatting amiably. It had been two days since they'd been out and about searching for the wyvern sister. Two days since Law had ordered everyone back to the sub. Such an order was the topic of discussion among the group.

"…Why do you think he's so set on getting her?" asked a man wearing a tan and green cap. He had shaggy blonde hair and a sturdy build.

A derisive snort echoed from the bunk above. "Who cares, Brodie! Don't you know a girl on board _any_ vessel is bad luck!"

Shachi and Penguin rolled their eyes, bodies stretched out on their bunks. Across from them a short man sporting a gray beanie did the same. "The Whitebeard pirates have female nurses and nothing bad has happened to them." Gale, possessor of the grey beanie, exclaimed grumpily.

The man on the bunk above Brodie huffed, crossing his arms irritably. Wearing a dark purple Tweed hat was the chief wiseass of the crew. Nigel. "I still don't like it!"

"Ah, cut it out already. Bad luck ain't gonna stop captain from getting what he wants, Nigel. We all know how relentless he is." retorted Shachi with a laugh. Like Brodie he was an upbeat fellow who loved to joke and flirt. Especially flirt. But then again all Heart pirates were seemingly flirty.

Nigel rolled over on his belly to glare at the top engineer, "Why would captain want a…a-"

"Dragon?" supplied Penguin with a smirk.

"Yeah, a_ bloody dragon! _Why the _hell_ would captain _want _a dragon in the crew?" Nigel spat, confusion and annoyance, darkening his features. The four other men stared at him dumbly from their beds. Their replies were fast incoming.

"Are you _serious!_"

"You did not just ask that?"

"C'mon, man!"

"It's a dragon."

Out of all four responses Gale the navigator drew everyone's attention. Nigel, who was a missile technician, turned to glare skeptically at his crewmate. Gale, who was actually not all that talkative normally continued, "In two weeks we're leaving for the New World. The sea controlled by the four emperors, we'll need all the power and resources we can get our hands on. A dragon would provide nearly unlimited possibilities and make our lives a lot easier. I agree with the captain, we need to find that wyvern sister."

Dead silence.

Shachi and Penguin along with Brodie and Nigel all gaped at their navigator. Gale never talked for long periods of time. When someone asked him a question all they'd get was the usual grunt or grumble.

Brodie blinked, face slack in disbelief, "Holy shit! Gale that was…five whole sentences! Who knew you had it in ya!" This boisterous statement had said navigator snorting before he grabbed his beanie and pulled it down over his face. That was Gale language for I'm-done-talking-don't-bug-me.

Penguin smirked over a frowning Nigel, "And there you have it. Having a dragon will make _our _lives easier! So stop whining! I don't know how you can be against it? We're gonna have a_ girl _on board! _A girl! _I seriously can't wait!"

This was supported by Shachi and Brodie.

Nigel huffed, glaring at his pillow, voice quiet and moody, "Well…I guess she seems cool enough. Not to mention when she's a dragon. But I'm reserving judgement!"

Brodie, Shachi, and Penguin glanced at each other before shrugging in unison.

Now that matter had been resolved the four pirates moved on. "When do you think we'll go back out to look for her?" questioned Brodie, legs dangling over the side of his bed.

Everyone seemed to contemplate the question for a time.

"…Hm, well according to what captain said the dragon was hurt pretty bad last time we saw her. I mean she did get shot in the chest," All four pirates shuddered at the memory. No _human_ would've survived that shot. "So she's probably hiding somewhere safe to heal. Captain thinks it will be three to four days before she shows herself." explained Shachi knowledgeably.

"Hmph, wish I could heal like that!" grouches Nigel in response. Penguin snickered while ducking a flying pillow aimed for his head.

"Don't laugh at me! It's a perfectly normal wish!"

"Sure, sure." guffawed a grinning Shachi from the bunk under Penguin. This was a favorite pastime among the three. Bug the ever-living shit out of Nigel. The man was as stubborn as a mule, and meaner than a badger. An easily riled badger.

Said 'badger' was glaring daggers at his three moronic crew members which only had them laughing all the more.

"I hate you all!"

…

"Sure, sure."

Cue another round of laughter.

"_ARRGH! _SHUT UP!"

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**Day 3**

"It's been _three fucking days! _Three! That bitch should be on this deck by now! _WHY ISN'T SHE!_" The voice had risen to an angry bellow; Kid was past his limit of patience. He wanted results and he wanted them _now._

The Kid pirates had been called out on deck around noon only to listen to a very surly Kid. Loud and in a very foul mood was one Eustass "Captain" Kid who was currently grinding his teeth over the fact that none of his crew had even caught a_ glimpse _of the wench.

Not once.

He had two weeks before the log pose set, two weeks before he sailed off to the New World. Kid snarled at nothing in particular. He'd been under the impression that tracking down his dragon, who was weak and wounded, would be easy. But the last three days were proof of just the opposite.

_That bitch would not escape __**him.**_

He'd track her down himself if he had to.

With a growl Kid whirled on his crew, "What groves haven't been searched yet?"

A very tall man wearing fish net leggings, black leather shorts, and a strange sort of chest harness stepped forward. He leaned calmly on his trident, dark eyes fixed on his captain. Standing nigh seven feet Wire held the title of tallest in the crew. Even over Kid's 6'5". He also held the position of Kid pirate doctor.

"I've searched groves 1 through 20. There was no sighting." Wire's voice was low and logical sounding. Calm.

It did nothing for Kid's mood.

The next man to speak up looked rather…dead in comparison to the rest of the crew. With pale blue dreadlocks and a corset-like chest brace Heat fit right in with the strange crowd that made up the Kid pirates.

His voice was a deep baritone, "She is not in the amusement park, Master Kid."

Blistering red eyes narrowed as they landed on the last search party. The mohawk twins. And they narrowed further at the negative given. _ Where the fuck was the bitch hiding!_

Kid's jaw clenched and he let out a growl of frustration. "_God fucking damn it!_" Having no leads and making no progress proved to be too much for Kid's temper. With a furious howl he hurled his dagger into the wood of the mast. The fact that he was mauling his own ship only had his anger surging.

Teeth bared and lips curling into a wrathful snarl Kid stalked for the gangplank. His crew watched silently not even flinching in surprise when the dagger flew out the mast and out of sight.

Kid was at his most dangerous right now.

Only an idiot would mess with an apex predator.

Especially when that apex predator was on the hunt.

Killer stood still, mask tilted in the direction of the gangplank. His voice came out commanding, "Those who weren't out in search parties will watch the ship." And with that the first mate disappeared in a blur of speed.

Heat, Wire, and the mohawk twins headed for the gangplank; it was time to hunt.

The rest of the crew watched half in relief and half in self-pity.

They'd be watching the ship until the captain came back with the dragon.

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Sixty-four hours. Two days and sixteen hours.

That was how long the Heart pirates waited. And Law would wait no more. Isolated and alone in his personal quarters the Supernova found himself strangely impatient with the circumstances. He'd been restless with his own order but the reason was easily deduced. Anticipation. The seed of it had planted itself during his _confrontation _with Jillian. And it had sprouted with the simple utterance of_ yes._

Law wondered if Jillian was even aware of what she'd given him. Oh, the secrets that one little word had told. The door it had opened. The anticipation only heightened the more he'd revisited the memory.

A memory he knew well.

He'd been set on meeting the legends that were the Wyvern Sisters since the broadcast. Had been set on gaining another member since the incident at the auction house. His decision to have Jillian join his crew hadn't changed but the interest, the drive had deepened.

Her eyes had been the catalyst.

In the memory they'd been wide and frightened by him, by what she was feeling. _Arousal._ But that wasn't what had drawn him. Yes, it had been a contribution but it was the glint swimming within hues of cyan and turquoise that had caught his attention. There was something wholly ancient in that gaze of hers. And it pricked at his mind, made him question the scars he could so clearly see hiding behind a wall of emotion. _Anger._

She'd buried them well. Yet, it was that anger that had led him to discover her secret. It was the mystery lurking in her eyes that made him so very restless, so very eager to see her again.

_Those eyes._

He wanted to stare into those eyes, to peel them apart and learn all their secrets. Law was not put off by the intensity of his desire, rather he welcomed the want as an old friend. He was a pirate after all. Pirates coveted things. He just coveted them a little more.

A small, dark smile stole over Law's face. To say that Law coveted Jillian was a pale statement. He practically_ itched _to have her in his grasp. To unravel her mystery, to educate her on what her body already knew.

Standing there, lean torso resting against his subs railing, Law decided he would not rush things. There were variables in this situation that were unpredictable and he had to be watchful of them. But he knew how to play the game of caution, like chess, one moved slowly.

Shadowed grey eyes beheld the dying sun. It was almost time. All he had to do was wait just a while longer. His first move was well into its stage of fruition. The audible sound of footsteps met Law's ears and that small smile became diabolical.

The Heart pirate captain stepped back and turned around, eyes taking in his two mechanics. With little to no ceremony he held out his hand palm up and waited. What was placed there had a spark of triumph curling around his heart. The expression on his face was one that had Shachi and Penguin shifting back a step warily.

Law would never intentionally harm his crew, so their reactions weren't from fear. They were only well-versed in what such a look meant.

He slipped what he held into his back pocket for safekeeping. The change came fast. In an instant, his manner became brisk, commanding. He stared at his two crew members sternly wanting their complete undivided attention. "Give the order to the others. They are to search for Miss Jillian but under no circumstances are they to approach her. When she is found stay out of sight and contact me immediately."

Law watched his two engineers disappear into the sub to relay his orders; he was satisfied with how things were going. Smooth and without delay. Law liked everything just so. He hated interruptions.

An eager smile curling his lips Law walked off, nodachi firmly planted on his shoulder. He soon faded into the nighttime crowd of Sabaody Archipelago.

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**Noon, Day 3, somewhere in Grove 70.**

_Tonight's dream?_

_A forest._

_Filled to the brim with shadows. Clawing, cloying shadows. They slinked out from the trees, from oak, birch, and ash. They hung from the branches, twisting and contorting ghastly. There was no moon. No light to illuminate the path I tread._

_Darkness was my only companion. _

_Nothing was discernible, not when I was surrounded by thick wood on all sides. And I was __**alone. **__On that path I was vulnerable. If something was out there hiding in the trees you'd never know it was watching you. Walking in such dense blackness was like having all of your senses ripped away; like being blind, deaf, and mute all at the same time. It had my heart racing, an unfamiliar fear curdling in my stomach. Darkness had never scared me before, nor had a forest._

_However, despite that thought, I was scared._

_Something inside me recognized this place, found it familiar, found it __**unnerving. **__And__it was cold. God, it was so, so cold. I was never bothered by the cold. It was refreshing. But here in this place of hollow despair it was a bane. Teeth chattering I brought my hands to my forearms and rubbed them fiercely; friction came from movement, heat came from friction. Yet, this simple logic failed to warm me. Those stupid goose bumps continued to plague my skin_—_ I froze as my hand slid over my bicep, feeling nothing. I looked down and paled._

_Where were my clothes_..._?_

_The importance of that question disappeared, because without warning, light appeared through the trees, the brilliance of it growing in intensity until I was blinded by it completely._

_What the hell?_

_When the strange light faded, I stopped breathing, and the slow weight of panic started to condense like tar in my gut, my blue-teal eyes widening as I took in my surroundings. Familiar surroundings_...

_Oh God!_

_Oh my fucking God!_

_No!_

_I had to get out of here!_

_The setting was a clearing, a blackened clearing, to be exact. _

_In front of me were tombstones. Seven of them._

_They stood, stark and white, in the ground glaring at me with their marble surfaces. So clean, so pure, so innocent…_

_My breathing became irregular as I took in the sight, the forlorn aura, the ashen ground, the haunting stones. Staring at those seven graves, I felt like I had suddenly been shoved off my feet and plunged into hell. Because those seven graves would always be there, glaring at me, marble gazes accusing. _

_They would always say, "It's your fault we're dead. __**Your fault!**__"_

_I was looking at the graves of…Liberty's siblings._

_This was… Oh God. No, no! _

_Please, no!_

_**Why was I here?**_

_Why? _

_And then, it happened. _

_Like it always did._

_My body started moving and I had no control. It walked towards those graves even as my mind raged and screamed. I struggled in the cage that was my body, feeling that same sense of desperation that swelled my entire being. It distorted reason and logic, made me deaf to everything but the word __**escape**__._

_I had to stay away from those tombstones._

_But my body never listened, never stopped, not until it had walked past six to halt at the seventh. _

_Any semblance of sanity flew out the window, and the only thing I could hear was something akin to the sound of thunder cracking the skies. I stood there, too close, way too close, watching with slowly widening eyes, my breathing fast and shallow. Somewhere in my mind I knew what was coming. Knew what I would see. It didn't stop the horror, the terror from seizing me. _

_And then I leaned forward. My pale hand reaches down and grazes the smooth marble, tracing the edges and brushing away the vines of ivy that cover it. As the strands of flora are removed, my hand falters and falls away. My heart stops, my lungs stalls._

_For inscribed on marble…_

Skulley J. Liberty

Beloved friend and sister.

_NO!_

_My gut twisted violently, and next thing I know I'm lurching sideways, retching, choking, sobbing. My eyes, no longer on the words before me, but staring at the ground, blurred and overflowed. Everything gradually became colder, and those six other tombstones began to whisper. _

_"She died because of you, because of him. Because you weren't strong enough. Your fault, your fault, your fault." _

_I felt so very pathetic than; everything seemed to still and glare at me. Everything._

_But I wasn't numbing; I still felt the effects of reading those haunting words._

_I felt like a monster._

_Oh God. I was a __**monster. **_

_M-my best friend is dead because of me!_

_My hands flew to my head, gripping my hair tightly, scrunching my eyes, sinking to my knees. _

_Sobbing. Screaming._

_"Sorry! I'm so so sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry_..._"_

_I needed to get out of here. I needed someone. I needed_...

_It was my fault._

_**It was my fault.**_

_Four words. Four little words that damned me._

_Four little words that had me staggering away._

_Away from the accusing stares, the carved writing, the seven graves._

_Seven graves that would rot on my conscience till I burned in hell._

_It was my fault._

_I fell to the cold ground and screamed._

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Jillian broke the surface screaming.

Which was abruptly cut off by choked gasping. Water in sore lungs did_ not _feel good to the terrified and groggy. And Jillian was both. Limbs flailing wildly, loud splashes echoing in her ears, Jillian struggled to stay afloat. In her current state of mind all she registered was the panic of her sudden awakening. The hot blade of fear brought on by her night terror left her trembling and dazed. That coupled with the fact that she was surrounded by water had her instincts all over the place.

Where was she? How long had she been submerged? _Why _was she submerged in the first place?

And why did her body ache so fiercely?

These were questions she should've been asking herself. Questions that were essential to the strange circumstances. But she couldn't bring herself to care, not when the memory of _that_ place still roamed the planes of her mind. Still dripped poison in her ears and hissed words of damnation across her conscious.

Jillian swallowed, mouth impossibly dry and disgusting. Her throat felt like sandpaper and her head felt like cotton.

_It was cold_…

Blue-teal eyes widened at that thought; it stirred the fear in the pit of her stomach, had her struggling for something solid. _Ground. _She had to find land, had to find something stable in this hellish limbo she was trapped in.

Disoriented and frenzied Jillian thrashed for the nearest shoreline. It was seven or so feet away yet for Jill it was a veritable mountain to climb over. But determination born of sheer desperation had her stroking and beating the currents to touch land. She was utterly exhausted when her hand finally grasped dirt and sand. It was pure instinct that had her pulling herself weakly out of the water. But it was purely her body that said _no_ further and with a tired sigh she collapsed.

Jillian lay there, weak and sore for reasons that escaped her, and prayed the shadows clinging to her mind would go away. Prayed her past would stay buried.

It was _cold_. She flinched at the realization. Those words stirred the den of her memories. A den she'd rather leave untouched. But the cold was seeping into her skin, and so was the wetness—but the numbness was also setting in, slowly, thankfully. Numbness was her salvation, without it there would be too much to handle, too many emotions, and too much regret.

Without it, she would be lost.

She never wanted to be lost again.

Jillian's heart was in so much pain. After such a dream how could it not? (_She's dead, she's never coming back)_. So much grief (_my fault, all my fault_). A big part of Jill was already crying, releasing all the agony left over from the night terror. It wasn't possible for Jillian to hold it in. She wasn't that strong. Not anymore.

So she lay there and cried. She let it out, wave after wave, until there were no tears left to cry.

And when all was said and done Jillian rose to her knees. It was a painstakingly slow process but Jill knew for a fact that she couldn't stay here. Now that she'd released all her emotions the horror, the night terror was finally relinquishing its hold on her mind. It was receding back to the pit of darkness lurking in the depths of her subconscious. Rationality returned but so did her memory.

_The gunshot in the auction house._

_Pain._

_The clearing._

_The fake Kuma._

_The dare_…

…_Law._

Jillian stiffened, senses suddenly alert and straining. Would that man be lurking like the shadows in her mind, would he be hunting her too? Jillian sincerely hoped not; there was very little she could deal with in such a fragile mentality. All she wanted right now were some warm clothes, a hot meal, and a nice bed to sleep in. No marines, no shitbags, and _definitely no pirates_ who invoked weird sensations.

And weird sensations were a big _no-no _to Jill. Especially when said man had a scent like ambrosia. _That _was just another thing that was forbidden in this world. Humans weren't supposed to smell so…so _enticing! _It made no sense!

There was no Gifted who smelled half as good as Law did.

Frankly, it wasn't fair! He was _human._

_Stupid Supernova!_

Jillian scowled tiredly. She didn't want to waste thought on that overbearing asshole. With a huff Jillian shoved the man out of her mind and focused on her priorities.

She needed clothes as it was improper to go walking around with just bandages around ones chest. It left her feeling exposed and Jillian did not like the feeling. It made her feel vulnerable. Then she'd go to a little out-of-the-way bar for some grub and grog. She could use both. Only when her stomach was full and her mind was comfortably numb would she surrender to sleep. Only then.

It was early evening. Nice, sunny, and with just enough breeze to keep the sun from being too hot. Jillian walked down a side street somewhere in the fifties. This part of Sabaody Archipelago belonged to the shipyards and the coaters that worked them. Besides the lawless groves this was one sector where you'd never find a noble. It was perfect, because it was easy to disappear in. Easy to become invisible with no questions asked.

The only downfall was getting there.

She'd woken up in a lake beneath a giant mangrove in the seventies. From what she could remember the fight with the fake Kuma had been near grove 12. That was quite a bit of ground to cover while injured. Jillian knew she'd been hurt bad by how sore her body was. The bandages around her hand and torso was just another piece of evidence. The only reasonable deduction for such distance was instinct. Flight instinct. Something had rattled her enough to the point where she'd fallen back on pure dragonic drive. Run and heal. Hibernation.

A Gifted will hibernate when extremely injured. This includes finding a secure spot and falling into a deep slumber. For a Gifted it is no ordinary sleep. More of a stasis in body and mind. Hibernation stops all function in order for maximum regeneration. Depending on the severity of the wound a dragon could be down for over two days to two weeks. But one thing was for certain; Jillian absolutely _hated_ hibernating. She could not escape the night terrors trapped within her own mind.

Waking up so close to the marine headquarters only made it worse. Being wet, half-dressed, and emotionally exhausted made it ten times harder to slip past people unnoticed. As if it wasn't already hard enough with bright teal hair and a nearly topless chest. Of course, she'd attract unwanted attention. It was just the unwanted attention_ wanted _her behind bars and not in her pants.

Jillian didn't know which one was worse.

She'd forgotten the number of marines she'd incapacitated on the way to the shipyards. As out of it as she was stealth just wasn't on the menu. In her current mood she was too tired, too listless to care. If someone had a problem with her they'd get a swift jab to the heart. Or the throat if she felt sadistic.

So here she was walking down some random street, wearing new clothes, and searching for a bar that wouldn't care about her identity. The less people who interacted with her the better.

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Half-hidden at the end of a small street, with wide dirty windows on either side of an equally filthy door, The Rusty Boot was scarcely one of the more attractive pubs to visit in the shipyards. It certainly wasn't the place for those looking for loud music, chaos, and bar brawls. Honestly, the bar, stashed away in its shadowy niche in the fifties suited an older more weary crowd.

Though quite small it still held a variety of liver poisons to choose from: beer, brandy, rum, gin, ale, wood alcohol, wine, liquor, spirits, moonshine, rye, bourbon, Scotch, sherry, champagne, whiskey, booze, lager, stout, porter, pilsner, malt, mead, vodka, tequila, aqua vitae, Tokay, claret, muscatel, sauterne, retsina, sake, vermouth, and numerous other liquids that could just as easily have a lightweight flat on his ass.

However, the choice of beverage was only one perk of The Rusty Boot. The gruff bartender begrudged any marine and so kept a Den Den Mushi on hand to listen in on any conversation. This quirk had endeared Jillian to the old man behind the bar. He'd stolen the snail from a drunk officer years before and he'd been using it ever since. Easy way to keep watch for any activity that might prove dangerous. She could relax a little while sitting within the musty, dim, and all around quiet bar without the threat of the World Government. Thank God!

And right now that was all Jillian wanted to do. Relax. With all she'd been through she_ deserved _a break. When she was well rested with no bodily pains she would begin to search for her best friend. Jillian would not sleep until Liberty was by her side again. She_ had _to find her or risk having another night terror.

She only had them when she slept alone. And with Lib absent she had to form other options.

Over the centuries Jillian had formulated ways to cope with her nightmares in such situations; drown them with drink and, with luck, dance them straight to hell. It probably wasn't the _healthiest_ solution out there but it worked for her. Plus, it took a lot more booze for a dragon to die from liver failure then a human so she wasn't worried of an overdose. If it meant drinking herself under the table to escape a night terror she'd do it every night. Fuck hangovers.

"I wanna 'nother one." As of right now it was late and Jillian was delightfully buzzed. The warmth in her stomach made her comfortably lazy, but it was stuffy. With a sigh Jillian undid the ties to her new cloak, throwing it over the seat of a nearby stool. Dirk, the bartender, wouldn't care that she was taking another seat. She'd been at the pub for hours and had already formed a friendship of sorts…

If nothing else he was a good listener on the rare occasions she felt like saying something.

Dirk nodded curtly, drawing a bottle half filled with a clear liquid. Vodka. He walked over to where she sat at the bar, grabbed her glass and topped it skillfully. Not one drop was wasted. Of course, it was a _sin_ in her mind if vodka was wasted. So she was happy as can be when he spilled _nothing_.

"You really like the vod, eh? I won't pry about why you're here but you look like you need it. So drink up, it's on the house."

Jillian only blinked at the old man slowly, body swaying gently in her seat. On any other occasion she would've rejected the show of generosity stubbornly. But tonight Jillian was in the habit of not caring for anything. Such was the mood induced by a night terror.

To show her gratitude she knocked back her glass and took a long swig. The vodka burned its way down her throat to pool like liquid heat in her stomach. It added to the warmth already there. A drunken smile curled her lips, slit eyes glazed and half-lidded. Her brain was fuzzy and blissfully blank.

Just what she was aiming for.

Blank.

An hour passes, filled with quiet conversation between bartender and Gifted. The bar has steadily become occupied with its nightly regulars. Every one of them old and tired from a hard days work, ready to sit back with some grog and cool down. It was a calm atmosphere that slowly bled the tension away in Jillian; it was an almost unconscious change in her demeanor. But it allowed her to further relax with a quiet crowd around her, men who didn't care to know why she was there. Even in her drunken stupor Jillian liked the little bar as well as the people in it. They didn't care to know who she was.

Jillian sipped at her vodka and lime gingerly, elbows planted for balance on the counter. She was well-versed on her drinking and knew when it was time for some support. Too much experience with falling off stools had taught her to ground herself. With all the alcohol she'd consumed getting off the ground would be a problem, getting back on her stool would be nigh impossible without help.

Jillian didn't like asking for help even while she was drunk.

A grunt in her direction had the Hellfire looking up lazily, dilated eyes meeting those of Dirk. "Wha?"

Dirk frowned rather fiercely, eyes slanting away after a moment of mutual staring. In a rough voice, "Ya got someone watchin' you. Been starin' for awhile."

And with that he left to go attend to other drinkers. Dirk didn't get involved with business, especially when it dealt with a Supernova. Oh, he'd recognized the man who'd stepped into his bar alright. Knew enough not to tangle with the wrong sort and the _Surgeon of Death _definitely counted as the wrong sort. Though the gruff bartender did have a passing thought of worry for the lone female sitting in his bar. She'd come in worse for wear, strange eyes wide and disturbed, body so tense Dirk wondered when it would crumble from the pressure. So it was only fair that he felt something akin to wariness when Trafalgar Law walked in.

Dirk didn't like the look of the man. There was something about him that put Dirk on edge. But it wasn't any of his business, and to put it simply, he liked living.

Jillian was at a loss. Someone was _watching_ her? Why? Who?

It wasn't a marine…

Dirk would've started something if it had been. The man hated them almost as much as she did. Almost.

So if it wasn't a marine… then was it a pirate?

Jillian frowned, eyes trained on her shot glass. Thinking was proving to be a chore. She didn't want to think. Huffing sluggishly Jillian slumped over the counter; she'd come here to get lost in her drink. Caring wasn't in the description, so whoever was staring could go on staring. They weren't bothering her so why should she care.

Sonneillon B. Jillian was close to dozing off when the scraping of stool legs irritated her sensitive ears. Groaning into the worn wood of the bar Jillian tilted her head to glare moodily at the perpetrator.

A man had taken up residence on the stool to the right of her. She couldn't really see much of his face as the light in the bar was rather dull but he was wearing yellow…

A strange uneasy feeling stirred at the sight which made Jillian frown. It was just a color. Yellow wasn't dangerous. So why was she feeling so weird then? Jillian leaned back slowly, eyes narrowed in an attempt to see the man sitting next to her.

There was…snow on his head.

"Th' hell?" Oh yeah, Jillian had _no_ verbal filter between her mouth and her mind when she was under the influence. None _whatsoever. _Head lolling to the side in confusion Jillian did the only thing that was on her mind.

She reached out to touch the _snow. _The man was taller than her so she had to use one arm braced on his shoulder to reach his head. A strange noise articulated Jillian's growing confusion when her brain registered what her hand was telling her.

The snow on the strangers head was warm and…fluffy?

"What th' fuck?" The smashed Gifted glared at the hand touching the_ snow _as if it was the sole manifestation of her confusion. In Jillian's intoxicated mind all she was computing were four words.

"Snow 'an't be warm." Her voice was slurred but still on the coherent side of things. Still understandable.

"It's a hat, Miss Jillian." If Jillian wasn't so drunk the slow mocking tone lingering in the voice beside her would've insulted her _greatly_. Anyone with enough sense would know not to talk to Sonneillon B. Jillian as if she were a child. But this reflex was supremely dulled down by the alcohol in her system. No, what did happen was a curious sensation in Jillian's navel. It was such an odd sensation that it immediately had Jillian recoiling back to her seat.

The feeling didn't resemble the warmth in her stomach, no, it was lower and twinged in a way that was almost uncomfortable. To the simple logic of a drunk person anything that didn't feel good was bad. Hence, Jillian removing her tipsy self from the stranger. Another piece of simple logic was to ignore anything that wasn't recognizable.

And that included the man, his voice, and that oddball feeling. Well, Jillian tried with the feeling, it wouldn't go away. But it was a passing irritation that vanished beneath another swig of vodka. _Glorious_ vodka.

Yet, the man was not to be deterred.

Jillian was just about to knock back her glass again— …Wait, were those_ fingers? _With a surprised squeal she jolted sideways, the action did nothing but make the room spin dizzyingly. It was safe to say the hand tangled in her hair was the_ only _thing that kept her from falling.

Blue-teal eyes narrowed, couldn't the fingers see she was trying to _ignore_ someone. They weren't helping. Since Jillian had a very _sensitive_ scalp the hand wrapped around several strands of her hair was impossible to disregard.

She just wanted to be left alone with her vodka.

"Lemme 'lone," she grumbles, voice drenched with muddled resentment. A pause is all Jillian is given before the hand in her hair tightens and _pulls_. Her head is turned and tilted toward the man and held steady. The movement wasn't sudden like the first surprise, there is no struggling, merely a soft titter of drunken nonsense.

The hot moist breath against her ear is like an ice-cube down the shirt. It shocks a gasp out of her and has that curious feeling blossoming with heat. Heat that has her shifting nervously. It merges with the warmth in her stomach, heightening the catharsis. Jillian is completely overwhelmed by the sensation that overtakes her body. It is unfamiliar, and so very, very _hot._

Hot is good. It chases away the cold, the memory, the past.

The heat pooling in her belly is stoked higher when she hears the voice again. It is smooth like velvet and Jillian likes velvet. "It's not polite to ignore someone, Miss Jillian."

Said Gifted glosses over the words, fuzzy mind focused solely on the sound. It is the sound of the man's voice that causes the feeling. Jillian shivers, she needs more of it. She doesn't want it to stop.

There is nothing but the solemn chinking of glasses and murmurs for a moment. It doesn't last.

Warm lips. It is the brush of warm lips against her ear that has Jillian's eyes widening slightly, glazed pupils dilated, and a full body shudder jolting her like static electricity. It is the feeling of warm lips against her, touching her, that has the pool of heat _clenching_.

It is delicious.

It is even more delicious when the voice returns, "What did I say about ignoring, Miss Jillian?" The effect is instant and explosive. The heat clenches _tighter_ and it is beyond Jillian's power to stop the quiet moan from slipping past her lips.

Unbeknownst to Jillian the man smirks. The moan didn't escape his notice and the pleasure he feels at inducing it is insidious.

Spirits, the _heat. _Jillian's inebriated mind is lost; it is lost to the fire running rampant in her veins, the coil of ecstasy in her navel, and the man's voice. She's not ignoring him. She can't.

She doesn't want to.

Abruptly, the hand resting in her hair wrenches forcing Jillian to lean closer to the man. The pain of the position is like a spark in a hurricane. There and gone. Jillian stares.

And stares.

And stares some more.

Grey eyes. She's staring at a pair of grey eyes. The man had brought her closer to him so she could see his face. Oh, she could see it alright. If Jillian had been sober she would have run a long time ago.

The Gifted didn't move, didn't scream, and didn't react in the normal sense.

Of course, there was _something _in Jillian that recognized the man as Trafalgar Law. But like everything else it was delayed heavily by the crippling amount of booze attacking her faculties.

So what did she do? She started talking bullshit. This was the usual tactic for any drunk person, except any drunk person wasn't highly aroused while wholly unaware of it.

"Th' fuck're you doin' ashhole?" And to Sonneillon B. Jillian bullshit very easily led to anger. And anger coupled with arousal made for a very unpredictable Jillian.

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Trafalgar Law is _delightfully _amused right now. With the help of the Vivre card it was ridiculously easy to track down his errant crew member. Far be it to be said that Law had expected to find Jillian in a bar. In a bar and _smashed_ out of her mind. He'd expected many things when he found her but in a bar wasn't one of them.

Seeing her slumped over the counter with a half empty bottle of some clear liquid and a shot glass in front of her was only the start of his entertainment. She was fun to watch, and even more fun to analyze. Law loved to read people; he loved to observe all the little intricacies that seamed an individuals personality together, as well as all the hidden quirks that were usually kept away from the public eye, and right now Jillian was giving him an amble opportunity to do just that.

The pub he'd entered hours before was dark, musty, and on the decrepit side. But it held enough alcohol to keep the customers happy. Law could feel a grin spreading over his face. Foolish little girls shouldn't drink alone. Especially in Sabaody Archipelago, it was _dangerous_. He'd make sure Jillian either drank with him or with his men when she became an official Heart pirate.

It took all of two hours for Law to become bored with watching. He wasn't satisfied with sitting on the sidelines anymore. He wanted a more _hands-on _experience.

The Dark Doctor rose from his seat and sauntered over to Jillian, ideas and actions dancing through his mind. With her like this there were countless options. No one would stop him, not even the bartender who'd been sneaking glances his way for the better part of an hour. There's a scalpel in his back pocket, one he carries with him at all times. Would she notice if he used it on her? Would she let him? His mind had raced with questions about her anatomy for some time. And he was positively_ itching _to unravel the differences between that body of hers and his. Dragon and human.

Law couldn't wait to get her back to his sub. But such desires were for later. Right now with her so close, sitting all small and petite on the stool before him he found he couldn't resist the urge to touch her.

He claimed the seat next to her, smirking when he deliberately pulled the chair out loudly. Law was aware that Jillian had very sharp hearing and only smirked wider when she turned to glare at him. It was totally worth it when he got to see those eyes of hers again. And this time he could look at them all he wanted. There were no interruptions or battles to draw his attention away. The teal of her eyes had, surprisingly, dimmed. Law attributed this to her alcohol consumption. Unlike a human pupil Jillian's eyes did not dilate normally, instead the pupil seemed to grow smaller. It was a mere line of black surrounded by turquoise and blue.

Law is _fascinated. _

Before he could lean forward for more study Jillian_ moved. _The Heart pirate captain went very still. It was a rather novel experience really. He couldn't remember the last time someone had touched him so freely besides the usual bedroom partner. Between whores and those he was killing _no one _came close to him. Not of their own free will. So it came as a surprise when Jillian lurched towards him, using his shoulder as a brace, to touch his hat. The soft weight of her against him was a match to his rapacity.

It didn't take much for Law to remember the dare and then things grew _pleasantly_ warm. Jillian was very drunk, the proof of this was blatant in her carefree motions as well as her topic of discussion. He knew for a fact she'd never come within a foot of him if she were sober. It had the ever-present smirk on his face stretching devilishly.

Only a drunk person would confuse his hat with snow. The randomness of the declaration amused Law to no end. Yet, having something he wanted so very close proved to be too much for the surgeon. And Law wasn't one to deny himself_ anything_. No, he got what he wanted and damn anyone who tried to stop him. Her hair looked too inviting for him to pass up.

Who could refuse such an opportunity, anyway. On his travels he'd seen many hair colors but Jillian's took the cake. Normal hair did not glow, simple at that. He compared the illumination to that of a firefly, bright in its own way but subtle in its light.

Tattooed fingers curled themselves into wavy teal tresses.

There is no reaction to his advance, not until he wraps the loose strands around his fist. Law chuckles at the squeal that erupts from the wyvern; it is even funnier when she tries to escape him. The surgeon is sure Jillian would've careened off her chair if not for his hold on her.

His wyvern huddles down in her seat, hand gripping her shot glass tightly. It is not hard to see she is woozy from moving so abruptly. Her body hadn't stopped swaying since he'd first entered the bar. Idly, Law wondered how long Jillian had been drinking. If she was this tipsy it was no wonder she was dizzy.

Law catches the mumbled hiss from his soon-to-be crewmate; it was an order…

Worse, she seemed to think she could_ ignore _him. That was two strikes against her, two too many. Even if Jillian was under the influence she would learn not to cross him. The hand buried wrist deep in teal locks tightens; Law felt no remorse when he jerked her to face him. The quiet whimper the action garnered did not soften his merciless grip.

An idea that had been present since the clearing surfaced in his mind. It was an interesting one, a sinful one. Law's lips stretched into a smile of wicked anticipation.

Jillian was here, drunk, out of her senses, vulnerable, and _completely at his mercy_. He could do _anything_ to her.

Still smiling evilly Law leans forward and blows hot air over the pale skin of Jillian's ear. The reaction he receives has giddy excitement curling his gut. Jillian is a virgin. And _untried_ virgin.

A virgin completely _oblivious_ to what was happening to her.

Jillian had no clue whatsoever that she was aroused.

Law reveled in the fact that he could drag out responses so effortlessly. He was aware that she was quite smashed, but that didn't change the fact that she was aroused by him. The soft gasp, the shudders, and restless shifting of legs; it was easy to see his effect on her.

He wanted to see more of it, this power he held over her. Law would never allow a chance like this to get away from him without it being wholly exploited. And, oh, did he exploit it. Fingers tightening, he pulled the woman closer to him. She was bent in such a way where if she _wasn't_ flexible the position would be painful. Good thing Jillian appeared to adjust to the pose marvelously.

If Law was entertained by the earlier reaction what he does next supersedes it by far. The Surgeon of Death leans down, smirking all the while, and caresses her ear with his lips. The skin is very soft. Soft and malleable.

It is a passing thought but he wonders if the rest of her is as soft and malleable as her ear. He reckoned it was.

The Heart pirate captain is teeming with masculine satisfaction by the time he hears the second moan. It is a quiet wanton sound, breathy and unbidden. Grey eyes darken with something monstrous, something hot and dark and sexual. But Law is no stranger to sex, nor is he a stranger to desire.

The impulses thundering through his blood are ignored and disregarded. Now was not the time to act on such base instincts. Though, he continues to stoke and enjoy the fire raging beneath Jillian's skin. That was a treat he would not deny himself.

Law wanted to see her eyes again, wanted to gaze into the mosaic of teal and blue so alien to his own. He is finding himself hopelessly enraptured with them. For a time this strange fixation had disturbed him. But now he is welcoming the urge. For who could deny such rare gems set in a face of pale marble. He was a pirate, and pirates loved rare gems.

The Dark Doctor forces the head of teal curls over to him, she doesn't struggle, but a soft groan of discomfort is heard. His grip does not loosen. Meeting those feral eyes sends a jolt of heat hurtling to Law's loins, a most pleasurable sensation starting up that _almost_ had _him_ groaning. The potency of his own reaction to a simple eye-lock is noted and put away for later rumination.

He stares into the blue-teal eyes of Sonneillon B. Jillian, she stares back. He doesn't even think she is blinking while looking at him. And just like that instance in the clearing Law can see the change.

It is a miniscule shift in demeanor. A slight sharpening of the eyes Law would've otherwise missed if he hadn't been staring at them so intently. Shockingly enough the teal around the pupil brightened. No dimness remained.

A moment later, "Th' fuck're you doin' ashhole?"

Law had to smirk at that one. She was drunk and yet her speech was still recognizable.

What a broad question to ask. There were so many answers, so many things he could _do_. Most of which would've had a sober Jillian running for the hills. He did nothing untoward.

Law might have been a pirate but he did not condone rape. He saw no benefit in dominating an unwilling, sobbing woman. Where was the fun? So, no, he would not take advantage of what Jillian was offering, it was an offer given senselessly in the first place. It would be a hollow victory.

If nothing else, Law saw an opportunity for information. She'd been drinking, after all; alcohol was famous for loosening the tongue.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that, Miss Jillian?" Law steals the shot glass from the woman's lax fingers, watchful grey eyes noting the flush of red appearing because of his theft. Whether said flush is from anger or embarrassment only God knows.

"Little girls shouldn't drink alone." Jillian scowls moodily at him, hands gripping the counter sideways, the knuckles turning white. Law can feel the pressure she is exerting through the tension of her hair. Despite the pain she must be in he does not release her; if she wanted to put herself through pain in a futile attempt to get away from him she could.

It was no skin off his back.

It was entertaining to watch her pant and whimper when the throbbing of her scalp became too much. The sound was music to his ears. But no matter, he'd use this time to assuage the questions whirling around in his head.

"Why are you not in bed, Miss Jillian?" The question is pronounced slowly for better understanding. Holding her in front of him Law can see the overly pale features, the drooping eyelids, and the dark bags he is so familiar with. Insomnia possibly, or maybe something else.

His question finally seems to penetrate that hazed mind of hers and the reaction is startling. Jillian jerks back from him so fast that he is nearly torn from his seat. If Law hadn't grabbed his nodachi as a counter-weight he probably would've flown forward with the force of the recoil. There is a choking, gasping noise coming from his wyvern followed by whining and head shaking. Furious head shaking.

Law is caught off guard when Jillian retracts her hands from the bar before digging them claw-deep into her temple. The move is shocking in the fact that Jillian doesn't seem to care that she is rending bloody lines down her skull. Law immediately reaches out, freeing both hands of their grips on hair and sword, and grabs her wrists, pulling sharply down so that he can hold them in his lap. The nails are tinged red. He opens his mouth to ask her what in the hell she thinks she's doing when she starts talking rapidly.

The Surgeon of Death tenses at hearing the stark fear in those slurred words.

"I can' shleep, not after_ it! _I's gotta stay awake, gotta drown tha nightmares. Can' 'til I'm done wif tha grog. Gotta drown 'em. Can' see 'em 'gain! My faults!"

Trafalgar Law sits, listening intently, mind racing with all the new information. The mystery of Sonneillon B. Jillian deepens. Nightmares. Could nightmares be the reason Jillian is sitting alone, so late at night, drinking her sanity away. Is he seeing the result of a possible routine, the aftershock of a nightmare. Does she drink herself to hell every time a nightmare blackens her slumber, if so, he wonders at the state of her liver, and wonders just how often these nightmares grace her dreams.

Another pressing question stems from the last part. Her voice had a very notable crack at the end. What was her fault? And who were the ones she didn't want to see again. Law frowns. He doesn't like so many questions and so little answers.

"Tell me about your nightmare?" he asks, voice low and firm. A command to be followed for sure.

Her reaction comes faster this time in the form of a choked snarl. Blue-teal eyes glare at him, the glint in them impossibly deep. A literal abyss of darkness. Law is not bothered by the threat thrown at his face. He is too distracted by the gleam hissing at him from slit eyes.

Her voice is just as turbulent as her gaze, "Why th' fuck shhould I? Like I need you to know 'bout my fuckin' nightmares, bashtard! Stay in 'our _own_ w-world." It is a warning, it is an order, and it is a show of blatant defiance.

Law is decidedly displeased.

"You are a Heart pirate now, Miss Jillian, and I am _your_ captain. You will have to accustom yourself to following my orders." His hands tighten around slim wrists, he doesn't want her slipping away from him if she gets angry. The memory of his dead arm is still fresh in his mind. He is not familiar with the style she used but it is close to that of pressure point fighting. Only more efficient.

More _deadly_.

It is easy to deduce that Jillian's hands are dangerous; his grip on them remains bruising. It only takes one mishap for Law to learn his lesson.

The woman practically laying in his lap bursts out laughing, the sound strangely weak but scornful nevertheless. "_Pirate?_ Me not a pirate! And accushtom myself? Fuck you, ashhole. No one my captain. No one. I's submit to no one! Not you, not _him_, not the world gov…govers…Not the marines!"

"Go 'way," she mutters a second later, head lowered to where it is almost brushing his chest. Law stares down at her, grey eyes arctic. He doesn't care to be ordered around, not by anyone, and especially not by his own crew. But he will have to retain the lesson for a more sober dragon. She wouldn't remember anyway.

"Not without you, Miss Jillian," is his reply, smirk back in place.

"M'not your damn crew member, jackass." It is mumbled into the fabric of his hoodie; Law's smirk widens with relish, grey eyes twinkle slyly.

The surgeon bends down, that sinister mouth of his whispering softly, " You will be."

The sound that reaches his ears is drowsy and slow. Sluggish. With all the alcohol in her system it is no wonder Jillian is crashing down. He'd been waiting for it actually.

"What was that, Miss Jillian?"

There is a long silence afterward, and Law is of the mind that his wyvern has fallen asleep. Yet, her voice warms his chest again. It is so very, very quiet that he is forced to lean further just to hear it clearly.

She is sobbing.

The warmth he feels is not from a heated exhalation but from tears.

"Don' say tha. Please, don' say tha. You's sounds like 'im. I don' wanna-…I feel hot n' weerd. Please, don'…"

The quiet plea in that voice is heart-wrenching but Law isn't a man known for his compassion. He takes this statement in with a detached expression, though a curious one.

Who does he sound like?

He would ask such a question but the window of opportunity is ending. Law can sense it, can feel it in the way Jillian's body is losing tension. She is slowly surrendering to the effects of alcohol consumption.

It wouldn't be long until he had a lap full of sleeping dragon. Law doesn't sit idle in wait for such an experience. He releases her wrists, pushing her away so he can rise from the stool.

He is sober so his movements are fluid and graceful. And even though Law is seen as a cold, merciless man he is careful in gathering the woman up in his arms. He takes very good care of his crew and that includes Jillian. There is no protest from his cargo as he turns to face the bartender. Dirk, if he remembers correctly, is watching him closely. Dark gaze conveying something that might have been a warning.

Law stares back without blinking, voice smooth and filled to the brim with menace, "I want to know where a suitable bed can be found, you will tell me where, Mister Dirk."

The tension between the two immediately has the pub going dead silent. Having a Supernova around was dangerous, having a pissed off Supernova around was suicide. The bartender of The Rusty Boot seemed to contemplate his words for a moment before a calloused hand pointed to a staircase behind the bar.

"Up there on the right."

Law doesn't say thank you as he disappears up the stairs.

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The woman cradled in his arms is soft and small. So small in fact that he can hold her _and_ his nodachi easily. She weighs nothing to him as he climbs the stairs to the second floor. With a kick of his boot the only door on the right swings open. The chill in the room has Jillian whimpering, petite hands clinging to his hoodie covered chest. The smile on his face is all heat and sin.

With another kick the door slams shut. It takes two strides to bring Law to the side of the bed. The sheets appeared clean if a little dusty. Normally this would irritate Law who liked things clean and neat but his attention was solely focused on the female in his arms. A moment later sees Jillian tucked beneath the blankets, teal head planted on the pillow, blue-teal eyes half-lidded and glazed and staring at him. The image she makes has Law wanting to join her. Badly.

Law sighs, rubbing a hand down his face, briefly wishing that this was _his_ room she was sleeping in. Not only would she be in his sub, but she'd be safe and away from the prying marines. At that thought the surgeon feels a pang of discontent hit his stomach. He'd rather not leave her here, but he would not deviate from his plan. Jillian had already shown competent fighting skills so he wasn't worried about her being caught by the World Government. What he was wary of was_ her_; would she disappear from Sabaody Archipelago when she woke up? Would he have to hunt her down?

If she did run, he'd be there to show her where she belonged - on his crew and below him. Law wouldn't dare let someone as valuable as Sonneillon B. Jillian escape his grasp. He would be a fool to allow such a thing. And he definitely wasn't a fool.

She'd rebel against him, of course, but it didn't matter to Law either way; Jillian _would _join him in the end. He would give her no choice.

Law stands over the hapless form of his wyvern. He doesn't feel like leaving yet; she looks too tempting on that bed for him to leave her alone. So he climbs on the bed with her, body straddling lean hips, and tattooed hands on either side of her head. Jillian does nothing, no struggling, no growling, nothing. She lies there beneath the dangerous Supernova and stares up at him with lazy, back-lit eyes.

The look in them is unreadable but it has molten lava pooling in his groin nonetheless. He knows she isn't doing it on purpose, she is a virgin after all. And virgins were nothing if not modest and shy. But the 'bedroom' look was potent on her, it was hot, and it made Law want to take her to the mattress to relieve the tightness in his pants. He doesn't, instead, he buries his nose in her hair and inhales deeply. His wyvern smelled off wind, heat, and peaches. How wind and heat could have a scent Law had no clue but it fit the description.

Wind, heat, and peaches. An interesting combination to be sure.

Such a scent is quick to stir his desire, that dark pit of sin that has Law shifting in further discomfort. He is even quicker to rein in his need before he does something he'd later regret.

"When I have you back on my ship," Law whispers huskily against Jillian's neck, "you'll become very familiar with my touch…" A tan hand lowers, stopping to land on her navel. He rubs it slowly, sensually, waiting for the reaction, "here."

He doesn't have to wait long. The body beneath him shudders, shivers, and a soft moan echoes around the room. The sweet sound has Law wanting more. He is _addicted_. Should he decide to sample a taste of her? Would his control allow it?

Law stares, they are pale pink, slightly parted, and too tempting to be safe. The Dark Doctor wants her, right here and now, he would like nothing more than to bury himself deep inside her. But that is his desire talking and right now he wants it to be silent.

When and if he took Jillian she'd_ remember _it.

He refused to take an unwilling woman.

Being a pirate, he wouldn't mind stealing a taste. He smiles to himself, twisting his hands so that he can grab the ends of her hair and tilt her head back. Those slit eyes continue to watch him; it widens the already smug smirk on his face. Without hesitation Law takes her mouth in a rough kiss, holding her still when she jerks back. He swallows the whine that vibrates through her mouth. Law wouldn't be surprised if this was her first kiss. There is quite a bit lacking in participation on her side but that is alright. He has plenty of time in the next two weeks to coax a better reaction from her.

Law is positively_ purring _with satisfaction when he pulls away, massaging the girl's scalp with long fingers. He brushes his lips over hers a second time, enjoying the sharp gasp. He lets his tongue taste the sweat at her temples next, and inhales the wind-heat-peaches smell he has come to find very attractive in the last three minutes. He is _burning_. He wants to push it further, push _her_ further.

The Surgeon of Death slides his hands down Jillian's sides, lingering over the dip of her waist. The sheets prove no obstacle. The heat of his palms sears through the thin material, has her trembling against him, her breath gasping as Law rubs his thumbs into those spots that force her to react. The hips of a woman were sensitive.

Blue-teal eyes grow wide and startled at his touch; Jillian can do nothing against the sensations bombarding her psyche. Can do absolutely nothing to stop the cries slipping past her lips like carbon dioxide. Law is ruthless in his ministrations and it isn't long before Jillian is moaning and writhing from his caresses.

It isn't long before it becomes overwhelming.

"S-stop. I…I can't!" It is a half-moan, half-sob that has Law pausing in his assault. There isn't a shred of remorse in Law's expression. Not one. He is rather proud that he can make her cry out for him so deliciously. What will she be like when he takes her for the first time? To have command over the fire beneath her veins, to get it raging into an inferno. It was something Law was slowly starting to look forward to. But he'd wait, he'd have to, or else he'd risk ruining the chance of her joining him willingly.

He didn't care for her hate but it would make things easier in the long run if she were _loyal _to him_. _Only then would he take her to bed.

With that thought he retracted his hands from the gasping pile of feminine mush. His wyvern cries out and goes stiff as a board when Law lowers his lips to hers a third time, kissing her languidly for a long moment before sucking her bottom lip into his mouth and biting down hard enough to sting. It has Jillian releasing something between a growl and a moan. Interesting.

Law prevents her from pulling away by fisting a hand at the back of her head again, a sufficient way to keep her from escaping. She does not open up to him but he is not discouraged. Law consoles himself with memorizing her lips and her taste. If he'd been addicted to her smell it was even worse when it came to the taste of her.

Warm and sweet her lips were.

The surgeon takes one last pull, suckling her lips, caressing them with his teeth, before he withdraws. Oh, how he wants to go back. Law can't help but smirk devilishly at the look on her face, drinking in her shock and her wide blue-teal eyes as she stares at him with her mouth ajar and her lips wet and bruised from his attentions.

Law is amused by the slurred yelp of "No, wait!" when he leans down again. It is not to kiss her but to murmur in her ear, "Come morning, Miss Jillian, I will_ find _you."

Acting on one last impulse Law runs his tongue down his wyvern's throat, smirking when he hears her gasp, and hisses, "_You are __**mine**_."

With that he leaves the room, closing the door silently behind him.

* * *

A/N: So that was a long one. *Hides from everyone* Please, tell me if anyone is OOC! And** review!** It's not that hard to write a couple of your thought down. We authors want feedback! We're gluttons for it! XD

Next up, Lib's awakening!


	7. Run Forest Run

Damn, I feel absolutely _horrible_ for making you all wait for this! I give no excuses! Except for life, college, and stupid head colds! Hate them! I lost a whole weeks worth of writing because of it! Argh! So for that I am sorry! As for this newest chapter, new characters, juicy confrontations, and high-speed chases! Yay!

Just a heads-up though, these next few chapters are dubbed the 'running' chapters which are a kickoff for the serious shit. Again, I apologize for not updating! As for the awesome fans that reviewed and have so far stuck with me a _big thank you_ to all you guys! You keep my plot bunnies rabid and my muse fresh! Don't be afraid to tell me if a character is ooc and or if I fragged and made an error!

So, I'll shut up and let you read the story!

**Chapter 6: Run Forest Run!**

_"He's the devil in disguise, oh,_

_you better run for your life!_

_Gives you feelings that you_

_don't wanna fight. You're_

_runnin' and tryin' and tryin'_

_to hide, and you're wondering_

_why you can't get free! You_

_better take it from me, that _

_boy is like a disease! Oh, you_

_better run for your life!_

**Cowboy Casanova by Carrie Underwood**

**Day 3, late morning, grove unknown.**

Skulley J. Liberty groaned, rolled over, and flopped on her side with a sigh. She was comfy as can be. Who wouldn't when you were spread out on a cloud. A soft, fluffy, _warm_ cloud. Lib did so love warmth. It made the world go round, at least, it did for her.

She _hated_ the cold. Hated it.

There was no cold here. Thankfully. Only her, the cloud, and-…wait, what was that?

Brows furrowing over closed eyelids Liberty shifted over to the side an inch. There was a weight near her that she slowly was starting to become aware of; it was more than just a blanket or a pillow as it was emanating its own warmth as opposed to echoing hers.

Even still very much asleep Liberty could tell, subconsciously, that someone was there. Someone as in a person; a living, breathing,_ human. _

…_Human_…

That one word coalesced into a battering ram; it forced its way into her mind, breaking down the sluggish security of sleep. The veil of slumber was ripped off with the remembrance of _danger_.

It was nigh suicide to fall asleep near a human, especially if they were unknown. Unknown meant death to a Gifted.

Like a bucket of ice water over the head Liberty's mind was awake and alert. Her senses came to life, taking in scents, and imputing information. But Lib did not move a muscle. If she _was_ captured moving would be the last thing she wanted to do. She did not want to alert her captors that she was awake.

_Shit, fuck, fire! And I was comfortable too! Arrgh!_

Liberty cursed the person who'd caught her. Her immediate situation could be blamed on Hibernation. And that she couldn't remember ever finding a secure place to heal. A Gifted_ had _to find a safe enough spot before their body shut down. If they didn't…

Well, she was a prime example of what could happen.

_"_…_Next time scent before you attack!"_

The entrance of a loud mental shout nearly made Liberty jolt forward. It was unexpected but the epiphany in those words had Lib pausing in her frantic scheming. Then she remembered; Jillian had said that to her after her blind attack in the clearing. With a mental blink Lib repeated the sentence over in her head. Her brain was still somewhat sluggish after its hasty awakening after all.

_"_…_Next time scent before you attack!"_

Jillian had always been the better of the two with their senses. It wasn't her fault that she was a act-now-think-through-things-later kinda dragon. Though, it did get her into trouble quite often, the latest incident being her jumping in front of Jillian back in the clearing. Liberty immediately stopped that train of thought. She didn't want to remember what happened, it was too much, too fast.

Her body was already aching from the Hibernation and she didn't need a trip down memory lane when all it would bring was horror and pain. She had too much to worry about without recounting her near-death experience.

Like for instance the human by her side.

Liberty let out a quiet breath, body going a touch more tense. Slowly, ever so slowly Lib inhaled through her nose. The feedback was instant and shocking. _Female. Young. Hatchling._

_Okay, what?_

To say Skulley J. Liberty enjoyed being confused was a gross miscalculation. Confusion and Lib were like Lib and cold, they just didn't mix well, at all. So with confusion weighing heavy on her brow Lib opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the ceiling, made of smooth brown wood, and smelling like dead oak. _Poor trees._

Next, came the sight of a fluffy comforter, in other words, the _cloud._

And after that were two big brown eyes and—

Liberty reeled back with a shrill squeal of fright. Mind seized in startlement she couldn't stop herself from falling off the bed she'd been sleeping on. It was with a painful sounding thud that she hit the ground followed by groaning and an, "Ow."

Rubbing at her head gingerly Lib lay on the ground, limbs tangled hopelessly in blankets. She didn't want to move because frankly her body felt like crap. A whole new bout of tension assailed her when a giggle met her ears.

This tension wasn't from fear, rather it was from perplexed surprise.

Sitting there on the ground surrounded by the unfamiliar brought Lib fully into the waking world. The giggle she'd heard from the bed had her instantly going over the facts.

Grown men - marines - didn't giggle, not unless they were gay. She wasn't bound in any way which was good for killing the idea that she had been captured. Waking up to being a hostage would've sucked. _Fuck God, thank you Spirits! _Her nose was telling her the same thing her ears were; a little girl had been the weight against her. Why there was a little girl in the room with her was unknown but the situation wasn't obviously dangerous.

It was only a little girl, a _hatchling_. Well, that's what a Gifted called a young one, anyway.

Still nursing her noggin Lib slowly canted her head backward, those big brown eyes coming into view again. For awhile it was silent, Liberty staring up while the child peered down. Then she giggled again.

Brown-teal eyes mirrored the smile on Lib's face at hearing the happy sound. The girlish giggling continued followed by a childish voice, "You sounded like a puppy! Hehe." The voice was high-pitched and youthful; completely innocent. And hearing it was all it took for Liberty's heart to melt.

The Tri-horn _adored_ kids. Especially if they were orphans. Orphans held a special place in her heart.

Skulley J. Liberty cautiously sat up, slit eyes watching the girl crouched on the bed. The hatchling appeared to be around the age of eight or nine with wide brown eyes and a mass of dirty blonde hair. It was very _nostalgic_.

Brown eyes and blonde hair.

_That's what she used to look like_…

A generous head shake banished that thought; it was stupid to think over things that couldn't be changed. Lib didn't like thinking about the past. It was final and no one could change it. To distract herself Lib asked the first question on her mind.

"Who are you?" Talking was like eating sandpaper, not fun, a little painful, and really dry. Her voice was raspy and hoarse, her mouth resembled a cotton field, and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. So it was only fair that her words came out sounding like that of a lunatic. No amount of saliva was going to save her now, she needed water. Or milk. She'd prefer the milk over the water actually.

Another giggle echoed around the windowless room catching Lib's wandering attention. The Gifted looked back only to see the nameless female on her belly, small hands holding up her head, a big smile on her face. Big brown eyes twinkled.

"I'm Maiyuu! Oh, wow! Your eyes are really, really pretty! They look like cats eyes! I've never seen anyone with eyes like yours before. And hair too! I really, really like your hair! Lots of people have my hair color so its boring. I wish my hair glowed like yours!"

The giddy barrage of flattery probably would've bugged any other person. Lib took it in stride, even seemed to welcome the fast paced talking. A wide smile decorating her face Liberty did her best to voice her reply, "Nice to meet you Maiyuu! My names Skulley J. Liberty! Aw, thank you! I guess they do look like a cats, huh."

The little girl, Maiyuu, nodded her head vigorously in agreement. Lib laughed at the show of enthusiasm.

"So, Maiyuu, can you tell me where I am? I don't remember coming here at all, it's a little fuzzy…" Lib left it hanging hoping the girl would fill in the giant blank reigning supreme in her mind. She was more than a little curious (and worried) about what had happened after the fight in the clearing.

Maiyuu suddenly grew quiet, brown eyes shuttering, small body releasing a shiver that immediately sent Liberty into mama-bear mode. The toxicologist flew off the floor and on the bed faster than was visible. The first drop of tears was met by a warm embrace and a soft humming voice. Maiyuu wasn't consciously aware of the tune, it was new to her young ears but it was calming. Calming, serene, and gentle.

The lilting tune was successful in lulling the little girl back from whatever had distressed her. No hatchling could stay morose upon hearing Lib's favorite lullaby, Windsong; it was also a favorite among hatchlings. Actual hatchlings.

Lib continued to sing the song quietly, even when tears dried up, and brown eyes regained their sparkle. Once Windsong was started it had to be sung all the way through. Liberty didn't quite notice Maiyuu snuggling into her chest, face upturned to watch her pronounce the strange words. Strange words that had a hypnotic tinge to them as they floated into Maiyuu's ears.

The language wasn't something the little girl could understand but the feeling, the warmth, the tone of it created an ambiance of safety and security. The song slowly came to an end three verses later and the silence left in its place was filled with awe.

Skulley J. Liberty blinked, brown-teal eyes refocusing back to the present. Singing Windsong was like entering a trance for Lib, like something else was singing along with her, and together they were the only ones in the world. When the song ended it was always the same; she would suddenly be back in reality and everyone would just be_ staring_. Lib had never questioned what happened to her during her singing, she didn't need to.

_As long as I can sing it I'm happy!_

"T-that was the most beautiful song I've ever heard in my life." The high-pitched voice had quieted leaving behind one filled with reverence and adoration. Maiyuu stared up at Liberty with big doe-like eyes, the smile on her face positively swimming with worship.

Said Gifted smiled widely, "Thank you! It's actually my favorite lullaby! I sing it just for the purpose of stealing away the fears little girls like you have! And it _always_ works!" The smile widened when a giggle was heard.

Operation Stop Tears was a success!

Now Operation Find Out Where The Hell You Are is a go.

"Can you tell me what happened Maiyuu? I'm sorry my question made you sad."

The little girl gasped, eyes expanding comically. A moment later saw Maiyuu shaking her head wildly, "No! No, you didn't make me sad! I was just scared! I was out exploring when I found you in the forest and…and…"

This time Liberty smelled the tears, it was easy when she was as close as she was. Voice still slightly rough but soft nonetheless, "Hey, it's okay you don't have to tell me but I would like to know where I am."

The relief in the girls expression prodded at Lib's rabid curiosity but she ignored it for Maiyuu's sake. Whatever state she'd seen her in must have scared her bad and from what Lib could remember she'd been injured grievously. Plus the blood from her wounds would've made for a grisly sight. At that thought intense guilt condensed in her stomach, tightening it painfully.

If only she'd found a good place to hibernate away from prying eyes then little Maiyuu would've never had to see anything mentally scarring. _Stupid! I am officially stupid! Dang it!_

"Oh, you're in my slave quarters. I had Unbachi put you in here so Gorgin wouldn't find you. He never comes to my room anyway." Liberty stared, taken aback by the hesitation in the girl's voice. It was obvious that she was uncomfortable with what she'd just said. But why?

Lib could see no exploding slave collar around the hatchlings neck. _Thank God! _It would've broken her heart to see such a sweet girl in slavery. The human world really was rotten. Well, _Sabaody Archipelago _was rotten. There were good humans if you looked hard enough.

The Gifted sighed lightly, arms tightening around the small body of the girl. Both enjoyed the contact more than the other knew.

"Who're Unbachi and Gorgin?" asked Lib tentatively, she didn't want to step on any sore toes.

Maiyuu's eyes widened happily, voice excited and upbeat, "Unbachi is my caretaker! He doesn't talk much but he's really nice. He helped me bring you here after I…found you. He's really strong and tall too! You'd like him, oh and he has pink hair! Though, I don't think he likes people talking about it," Maiyuu leaned closer to Lib, voice in a whisper, "he's really, really sensitive about it."

The girl cast a quick glance around the room as if checking to see if the man had heard and was lurking around for revenge. It was quite funny to Lib who let out a laugh at the girl's antics.

"And Gorgin?"

The mood suddenly became somber.

It was only made worse when Maiyuu lost the happy smile, the twinkle dying in her brown eyes. Lib was dismayed at the change, even somewhat shocked at the speed of it. Only Jillian could kill her expression like that. Such a comparison was disturbing.

This little girl shouldn't have anything to frown about, shouldn't be able to drown her features in sorrowful blankness like her best friend. A skill like that she knew only came from suffering. Terrible suffering and the need to hide it from everyone.

Liberty's heart clenched at that. So young and already scarred by something.

_Just like_…

When Maiyuu spoke next there was no tone of happiness, none whatsoever, only quiet trepidation, "He's a noble and m-my father." Short, reluctant, and very dispirited. Lib could tell there was more to it than that but whether she should press hung heavy on her conscience. She chose another topic, hopefully a happier one.

"What about your mother?" asked the Tri-horn with a smile. The atmosphere seemed to darken further with that inquiry; Liberty's smile fell flat on its face when she noticed her attempt at distraction had failed. Were both her parents sore subjects? _Damn, damn, damn!_

A slave to her guilt Lib instantly tried backtracking.

"I'm sorr—"

"N-no, it's okay. I…I, well, I'm…I mean she's a s-slave," Maiyuu looked down, brown eyes pained, "and I-I'm not." It was a confession and Lib recognized it for what it was, however, Maiyuu's voice had been ashamed. _Why?_

Little girls shouldn't feel ashamed about _anything_, at least, not when they were Maiyuu's age. Liberty couldn't remember being so young, so innocent, so _naïve_. But something, having to do with her parents, apparently was cause for such emotion.

Lib stared down, face confused and melancholy, as she took in the depressed form of the little girl. There was something vulnerable about how she was sitting, something weak; it tugged at her heartstrings insistently. Why was she not a slave when her mother was? The curiosity to know was nearly overpowering, yet guilt was still the stronger of the two. She stayed quiet.

The silence mounted between the two women, each waiting for the other to speak. In the quiet Lib's thoughts flourished, grew loud and speculative, until, with a mental gasp she came to the answer. Came to the reality of the situation.

Skulley J. Liberty didn't know whether to hurl or snarl. The world, no, Sabaody Archipelago was _disgusting_. Humans were disgusting. She, along with all the Gifted, could not comprehend the notion of 'owning' one of their species. It was a gross practice. Humiliating, inhumane, and oppressive it was and more often than not she found herself _sick_ at the idea of slavery. Humans, she knew, could be overly cruel to their own species with little to no remorse.

Lib could feel herself growing cold, inside and out, at the thought of Maiyuu's conception. The circumstances weren't uncommon. Men were monsters who couldn't control their urges. Men, especially _nobles_, were _rapists_. The good ones only came from good breeding.

And those were few and far between.

Liberty's heart went out to Maiyuu's unnamed mother. Her heart also went out to the little girl nestled against her. God, the things she must have endured in her short life, Lib could only imagine. It hurt to watch, to sit there quietly, and watch the play of anguished incomprehension on the hatchlings features. Lib knew for a fact that Maiyuu was too young to understand the horror of rape and the scarring that came with it. All that was understood was the anger, the depression of it, the cloud of agony that surrounds a person when they experience something horrific. Lib knew the feeling well; she'd become familiar with it since befriending Sonneillon B. Jillian.

To see that same debilitating emotion around someone so young was heartbreaking. Even worse was the thought of sequestration. It was easy to see that whoever this Gorgin was saw Maiyuu as more than an object. More than a possession. Liberty's stomach roiled uncomfortably.

Did Maiyuu even know her mother? Was she even allowed to see her?

The questions whirled around incessantly begging to be asked. And for once Lib's guilt could not defend against it.

"About your mo—"

**SLAM!**

The loud bang of a door somewhere in the distance had Lib yelping, sore body jerking back. She winced lightly as her muscles pulled. Maiyuu, however, had only flinched at the deafening sound. Big brown eyes widened; it wasn't hard to tell she was frightened by the noise.

Then the shouting started.

Lib felt a shiver spike down her spine. She did_ not _do shouting. Not when it was angry and _this_ was angry shouting. Another yelp of surprise crawled up Liberty's throat at the sudden absence of Maiyuu. She'd left her embrace, small feet padding for the door on the other side of the bed. Lib hadn't even noticed…

"Hey, where are you going?" questioned the Tri-horn worriedly. That shouting wasn't friendly.

Maiyuu stopped by the door, head turned towards Lib. The smile she saw was _shocking_.

It was Jillian's smile.

_Fake, burdened, haunted._

_Broken._

Liberty stared, brown-teal eyes wide, mouth ajar, completely speechless.

Maiyuu slipped soundlessly out the door without a word.

The smile never left her face.

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

It had been twenty minutes.

She'd sat, anxiety and worry eating at her, on that bed for twenty straight minutes. That was a new record. Too bad Jill wasn't anywhere near or she'd be crowing about her triumph. Lib only felt sick with unease. It weighed her heart down, gripped her stomach painfully, and made her feel nauseous. She didn't know how much longer she could sit there.

Liberty had already scolded herself for letting the child go out on her own. Who in their_ right mind _would let a _hatchling_ venture into a dangerous situation. A _hatchling! _She felt like a world-class idiot on so many levels. She also felt hopeless. Hopeless, scared, and frozen.

Hopeless, because she was in an unfamiliar environment with an unknown hostile lurking around. Scared, because she was still drained from her Hibernation and her body was sore as hell. If a fight came her way she'd be in trouble even with her use of poisons. And frozen, because she didn't know whether to rush off in search of her new friend or stay sitting.

Doubt was a horrible mental affliction. It corroded the senses, ate at ones sanity, and spawned second guessing. The deafening silence was worse. Lib detested silence. She thrived on noise, talking, laughter. Not this void of nothingness. It opened the window for doubts, for mocking voices, for shadows. _Darkness._

There were no windows in the room.

One little candle wouldn't do it for Liberty. She needed light. Actual light. Candle flames created shadows; there was always something lurking in them, monstrous beings that lusted after her flesh, her sanity.

She couldn't deal with the dark.

She couldn't deal with the_ things in the dark._

Liberty started to hyperventilate.

_No, no, no, no, no, no. I need Jill, where is Jill, think of Jill!_

Jillian was her rock. Her stability and strength when things went dark. Jillian wasn't scared of anything. She thrived in the darkness. When she was around Liberty didn't have to be scared because Jillian was there to fight off the crippling shade of night. It couldn't reach her.

But she was alone. There was no grumpy guardian by her side, no silent protector, no Jillian. No one. She was alone. Alone with the shadows. Alone with _her fears_.

Something in her chest trembled, twisted, and burst. She needed…

Her body spasmed erratically. She needed…

Breathing grew shallow and frantic. She _needed_…

The shadows moved, danced across four walls, invisible claws lurching for the figure on the bed. Silent laughter, evil and malicious, racked over hypersensitive ears. The darkness leaped forward as if sensing her terror.

_JILLIAN!_

A silent scream ripped from Lib's mouth as the darkness took her.

She was gone before her head ever hit the mattress.

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Sonneillon B. Jillian woke with a_ jolt_, sheets and skin sweaty, with an uncomfortable itch to her brain that left her gasping. Opening her eyes succeeded in blasting her sensitive retinas, the sharp sunlight ripping a pained cry from her numb lips. While she was generally a morning person something almighty had already ordered an extra side of hell for her; Jillian didn't feel so hot.

She wasn't even awake yet and the morning was turning out to be shitty. The Hellfire mumbled a curse. A lazy hand rose and plopped a palm over two scrunched eyes, they would _not stop _stinging. _Ugh! _Right then, Jillian wanted nothing more than to roll over and bury her face in the pillow. Sleep was _heavenly_; it was also blissfully _dark_ and silent and _painless_.

Her tolerance for pain was in the negatives and her mood wasn't much better. Being sore after Hibernation always roused her ire. Waking up so _nicely_ was just icing on the cake of her temper. Palm rubbing gingerly at her singed eyes Jillian rolled over to get away from the annoying rays running across her face. Stupid blinds.

Laying on her side, face in shadow, was just what she needed. The pillow was soft, fluffy, and _smelled amazing_.

Eyes closed, body relaxed, Jillian inhaled slowly through her nostrils. The relish in her expression grew along with her smile of indulgence. It smelled…like…spice. No, there was more to it than that. Brows furrowed in concentration Jillian pressed her nose into the cushion harder. Inhaling deeply of the flighty scent she took it into her senses and analyzed it.

The scent, surprisingly, was _new._

An additional sniff confirmed her presence was the only one in the room. So either she'd kicked out someone or they'd left in a hurry. The only thing that didn't add up was the course of events playing in her head. She couldn't remember…

But then _that_ made no sense. Dragons_ always _remembered.

She knew she'd gotten drunk.

She knew she'd had a night terror.

And she knew she'd_–_…What did she know that she was forgetting?

Jillian glared moodily at the mattress; something was eating at her brain, something important. _What the hell am I forgetting, damn it! _With a groan Jillian slumped back on the bed, it was way too early for such deep thinking. She'd rather bask in the silence.

…

There was something wrong with her. Something _serious_. Maybe she'd lost her mind or someone had spiked her drink? Feeling agitated and not knowing why, Jillian sat up, lips peeled over sharp canines in a snarl. What _was_ this feeling? Impatience? Anger? Never before had silence _bothered_ her; silence was her element, her sense of calm. Instead, her body was racked with a strange sort of restlessness, anticipation, thrill even. It was disconcerting. Where was her calm? Was it really the silence? Was it something else?

She didn't recognize the emotion. Or better yet, she didn't recognize the _sensation._

Alarmed, Jillian instinctively sniffed at the air again and promptly reeled back. That smell, the one on her pillow, was everywhere! God, it smelled delicious. Jillian couldn't stop herself from inhaling in the intoxicating scent.

The revelation hit hard and fast.

The first thing her mind came up with was static spice. A second whiff refined it into spice and lightning. Only the scent seemed more precise than that, sharper almost. So, she inhaled a third time, keeping the scent in her nostrils, picking out the nuances that made it so unique.

It smelled…warm. Like warm spice and…

And static.

No, that still wasn't right. Jillian scowled at the door. She'd get this scent down.

If it wasn't static or lightning it had to be something close. The charge of it was more… along the lines…of electricity.

Warm spice and…electricity?

_Ha, got it!  
_

Both her gut and her head agreed with those two. Good, so whoever was in here last smelled awesome. Woopty-fucking-do, she could go back to sleep now. Snorting through her nose, Jillian shook her head and laid down. Her eyes closed a moment later.

_("When I have you back on my ship," Law whispers against Jillian's neck, "you'll become very familiar with my touch…" A tan hand lowers, stopping to land on her navel. He rubs it slowly, sensually, waiting for the reaction, "here.")_

The explosion of heat, confusion, and horror is disorienting. Jillian could only stare, pale and shell-shocked, at the ceiling, stiff as a board on some_ bed that wasn't hers._

Reality really was a bitch. Even more so when it played ambush predator. Because it had definitely ambushed her.

Oh my fucking God.

_Him. _He had been _here!_

He'd been in the room with her!

_Oh God!_

Warm spice and electricity.

That intoxicating, decadent, utterly mouth-watering scent belonged to Trafalgar Law. Trafalgar _freaking_ Law! God truly hated her. To give such a sinful scent to an utter bastard. It was downright blasphemy.

But God, he'd been in the room with her drunk out of her mind. Jillian shuddered at the memory. The huskiness of his voice, the _promise_ in it, the touches, the kisses…

Surely this would be considered rape, right? He'd touched her without her consent! Jillian swallowed thickly. She didn't know what to do, how to deal, what to _feel_ about what he'd done. It was too much to take in; too intense for the likes of her.

And what the hell did he mean by 'become familiar with his touch'? Just the thought of him touching her again made her want to hurl. He was an asshole. A controlling two-bit bastard that needed to learn personal space and common sense.

_(The Surgeon of Death slides his hands down Jillian's sides, lingering over the dip of her waist. The sheets prove to be no obstacle. The heat of his palms sears through the thin material, has her trembling against him, her breath gasping as Law rubs his thumbs into those spots that force her to react. The hips of a woman were sensitive. _

_Blue-teal eyes grow wide and startled at his touch; Jillian can do nothing for the sensations bombarding her psyche. Can do absolutely nothing to stop the cries slipping out of her lips like carbon dioxide. Law is ruthless in his ministrations and it isn't long before Jillian is moaning __and writhing from the caresses.)_

Blue-teal eyes widen impossibly, pale face flushed red with mortification. In the quiet room brightened by the many rays of the sun, Jillian squirmed beneath the covers, fighting against desires she wasn't even truly aware of. What she _was_ aware of was the mounting tension in her gut from so many devious images. They flashed across her mind's eye, loud and explicit. Sucking in a sharp, shocked breath was all she could do to stave off actually panting in panic.

A surge of something hot curled around the base of her spine. It shimmied up her back weaving shivers through her bones before free-falling down to her belly. The pool of molten heat it initiated had her clenching her jaw and pressing her thighs together. An involuntary shudder seized her at the action; a shock had her body jerking, lips parting to release a cry.

_W-what was that?_

What the hell?

Jillian went completely still, making an attempt to ignore her rapid breathing; the effort was futile. In this situation Jillian was at a loss, Law was right, she knew nothing about sex and its intricacies. Nothing about what was happening to her body-wise, nothing about arousal.

She needed to stop!

The images didn't, of course. Neither did her body.

_("S-stop. I…I can't!" It is a half-moan, half-sob that has Law pausing in his assault. There isn't a shred of remorse in Law's expression. Not one. He is rather proud that he can make her cry out for him so deliciously. What will she be like when he takes her for the first time? __ To have command over the fire beneath her veins, to get it raging into an inferno.)_

Jillian swallowed hard, hands gripping sporadically at sheets; she was terrified yet there was an edge of…excitement to the fear. Where was the excitement coming from? She was deriving no joy from this, not at all!

A peculiar twinging centered around her navel had her inhaling sharply, and she was even more mortified when an actual moan slipped past her lips._ Red Alert!_ She had to stop _now! _Whatever Law had done to her, cause he'd done _something_, was totally _wrong_. It was sick and disturbing! She should not be reacting like this!

She needed to sto—

_("Come morning, Miss Jillian, I will __**find**__ you." _

_Acting on one last impulse Law runs his tongue down his wyvern's throat, smirking when Jillian gasps, and hisses, "You are __**mine**__.")_

You are mine. _You are mine_._**You are mine.**_

_His._

The world abruptly tilted on its side for Jillian. She did not like that word. In fact, she _hated_ that word.

Dark tendrils of instinct stirred, roiled, roared. Angry, hateful emotion rose with it, black as night, and beat back the strange sensations that ran rampant around her body. Fury. It hurtled through her veins, a different kind of heat, a familiar kind that she welcomed wholly.

Jillian was old friends with fury.

…_He dared_…

Fury had never let her down.

…_He fucking dared_…

It was her loyal companion.

…_He fucking dared to say that __**to me!**_

And it would come when bidden.

_**He fucking dared to say she was his!**_

There was something dark manifesting in Jillian, an instinct, new, ugly, and vile. It clawed and struggled inside her, roaring angrily. Fury had_ nothing _on it. And the more those damnable words, those three words, echoed around her mind the stronger it fought. Against what was beyond Jillian's comprehension. It was a subconscious movement, a shifting of mentality. Jillian the fearful had awakened Jillian the defiant.

_You are mine._

She belonged to _no one_.

And the resistance inside of her _splintered_, unleashing many, many years of rage and hatred and frustration.

A black demonic snarl ripped up her throat, slit eyes narrowed; there was a new predator lurking behind the blue and teal. A new instinct had awoken and it would _not_ be _dominated_.

No one.

No one would make her submit.

_Ever again._

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_

Jillian sat on the edge of the bed, eyes staring off into space. She was aware that something had changed inside of her, she knew it was an instinct, but as to that instincts purpose she was lost. After she'd calmed down some, she'd taken the time to reconsider her situation. There were so many variables she had to worry about, it was giving her a major headache.

Lib. The marines. The Gifted. Law._ Him_.

Just one big headache. _I hate headaches!_

But she had to tread carefully else she ruin all her work. And she could not afford any setbacks. None.

So there she sat in contemplative silence, cloak back in her possession; she'd gone down to the bar to retrieve it. Dirk, the bartender, had greeted her gruffly. She liked him. Too bad she wouldn't…

Jillian snorted at the thought. She promised herself she wouldn't think about it. _Idiot!_

Slanting an eye over to the window Jillian took in the position of the sun's rays. Dragons had no need for clocks, they didn't know how to read them anyway. The sun was their dial. As were the stars, the moon, and the ocean. Jillian huffed, she'd have to leave soon, staying in one place had already been risky, but now with a Supernova after her she'd need to be more cautious than ever.

The anger she'd felt when she'd asked Dirk how her drunk self had gotten to the room above The Rusty Boot was explosive. The insufferable jackass had the _audacity_ to carry her like a fucking _damsel in distress. _Nevermind that any normal person would've seen it as a nice gesture. Jillian had never been normal though, so her reaction was appropriate. At least, in her mind it was. Everything having to do with Trafalgar Law in Jillian's mind was quickly being labeled _taboo_ and words like _brute _and _incorrigible soaplock _and_ bastardized rapist_. It only was fair that _anything_ the man did was also in the range of intolerance.

_Like I need anymore on my plate you son of a bitch!_

With that thought Jillian climbed to her feet, hands reaching out for her pouch which she strapped across her back. The window was no obstacle for her claws, and the height (two stories) was nothing for her wings. Though, a full transformation was out of the question for a while a partial change was within her ability. Hibernation had its perks as well as its consequences. It was a last resort for any Gifted injured enough to risk death.

A Gifted was considered lucky if they survived their Hibernation.

Most were found, caught, and killed.

Jillian was grateful that it was still early in the morning; not very many people would be out and about. She could roof-hop without threat of raising mass panic. It was with a flap of teal and granite wings that Jillian disappeared from the shipyards.

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Consciousness came like the tide for Skulley J. Liberty, with little waves of coherency that pricked at her slumbering mind. They slowly grew into bigger waves as one by one her faculties awoke. It was a tedious process, one met with the resistance of the dreaming. Those who knew the Tri-horn well knew that she was_ not_ an easy riser. Far be it to be said that she was a morning person.

In the soothing darkness of sleep Liberty fought the current that aimed to pull her under. It worked for a while, however she lost the ability to stay afloat when a most curious sensation assailed her. The shock of it jerked her sluggish mind, ripping her away from her sleep, and plunged her head first into the waking world. Though, she did not open her eyes immediately, nor did she wake fully. No, it was more of an awareness of someone coming out of REM then actually coming out of sleep. But she was cognizant of what was around her, or more like _who_ was around her.

If Liberty was any closer to being awake she would've furrowed her brow.

Why? Because someone was _touching_ her. Petting her, really. _The curious sensation_. It was…perplexing and…lulling. Such unexpected contact would usually garner a swift ass-kicking from a very, very pissed off Tri-horn wyvern. Nothing happened to the person running their fingers through her hair; her instincts were quiet for once. There was no danger nearby, thankfully.

It did feel…somewhat good…

Though, the touch seemed sloppy for reasons unknown to Lib. It just didn't seem right, like it was the wrong hand, the wrong person. But Liberty didn't grasp this consciously since the notion was buried deep within her psyche. All she was really aware of was the soft, repetitive brush of fingers over her scalp. It was distracting to a fault but then again, she needed the distraction. She needed something to take her mind away from _remembering_.

It was a curse, remembering. Lib didn't like to remember, not unless it involved good memories. Hence, why she continued to lay quietly on the bed head tilted inconspicuously toward the fingers. Even though the touch was inexperienced it still managed to relax Lib in a way that had her purring. In other words, a growl that stayed in her ribcage and rumbled softly. The sound was subtle in its variation but many who heard it would call it purring.

Liberty was beyond caring. There were other animals besides the cat that _purred_.

The brushing paused for a moment and Lib's ears perked upon hearing a giggle. A_ familiar _giggle. She knew that giggle. It was full of delight and joy. Youthful. Energetic. Childish. _Maiyuu._

The hatchling with the fucked up father. She couldn't believe, well, actually she _could_ believe how horrible the world was. Rotten, tainted, and filled with assholes and two-faced muckworm's with no compassion for anyone but themselves. Greedy bastards. People - nobles - made her want to rampage till she collapsed, particularly on their _filthy_ rich asses. She'd just _love_ to pick her teeth with a couple of their bones, maybe keep a few skulls as souvenirs or as ammo for when she got bored and needed something to chuck at other nobles. Bones always made for good prank material; nobles usually were thinned skinned enough to jump at anything scary. Perfect targets for pranking, _evil_ pranking.

Involving heaps of laughter for her and misery for those rich mongers. Ugh, she could not stand them! _Fuck nobles! fuck them all! Prank them to death! Hell yeah, that's how I roll because I am awesome like that!_

Another cute giggle met Lib's ears successfully pulling her out of her mental rant. It had gone on for quite a while. Nobles always got her going. Lib slowly cracked open an eye wary of light and its brightness of doom. Then she remembered there were no windows in the room she was in.

Both brown-teal eyes opened instantly locking with another pair, though they were far more human than she'd ever been. Dark chocolate with specs of amber described Maiyuu's eyes. They were rather close in proximity Lib noted with a blink. To put it simply her head was actually in the girl's lap, teal locks spread out on her little thighs. Up close her face was adorable with a splashing of freckles and a button nose.

The two women blinked at each other, eyes peering at the other intently. It almost resembled a staring contest. The quiet subsequently was fractured by abrupt laughter from both parties. They seemed to be unable to contain themselves as they chortled wildly, hands holding their stomachs and feet stomping the mattress. As to the reason for such loud expression, well, there was none. Skulley J. Liberty didn't _need_ a reason to laugh; all the Gifted needed was someone to share in her mirth.

Plus, it was an ample distraction from all the shadows lurking in her brain.

Maiyuu worked wonders for her sanity. She was literally a light all on her own and she didn't even know it. Lib just hoped, secretly, that she wouldn't leave her alone again. She couldn't be alone, not when Jillian wasn't there. The shadows were too close to the surface for her to deal with. Laughter was perfect for driving the darkness away, perfect for security.

And laying there, eyes locked with Maiyuu's, wide smiles covering both their faces was _exactly_ what Liberty needed to pull through. To push away her lingering fear and focus on the present. To _awaken_.

Lib was nothing if not hardy when it concerned her faults. She dealt with them in any way she could which involved either running (lots of running) and using stronger people as shields (aka Jillian). Maiyuu was turning out to be a suitable replacement. _Thank you Spirits!_

"You're so funny!" tittered Maiyuu around a giggle. The comment coaxed a smile from Lib. She was just _so adorable _how could she resist! Lib loved hatchlings! They were fun to play with and were especially fun to tickle.

Liberty's smile suddenly turned mischievous, brown-teal eyes twinkling playfully. "Oh, _I'm_ the funny one? What about_ you!_" A squeak of faux fear spilled from Maiyuu's lips when Liberty _pounced_ hands at the ready. A shrieking girlish laugh bubbled up next followed by many more. The Tri-horn was _ruthless_ when it came to tickling.

It wasn't long before she had the poor girl writhing and screaming with laughter. Little tears flowing down her cheeks, small palms pushing against the onslaught of evil seeking fingers that poked and prodded at sensitive places.

"N-no! St-stop!" cried the child boisterously, brown eyes wide and happy. Lib laughed at her victims face, it was hilarious. "What do you say?" retorted the Tri-horn cheekily.

Maiyuu's eyes widened comically at the taunt, head shaking defiantly. "Uh uh, I won't say it!" gushed the blonde hatchling loudly. Retaliation was fast incoming, Lib would have her surrender in this tickle war. Like she weighed nothing Lib grabbed Maiyuu under the arms and swung her screaming into her lap. No amount of wiggling or struggling could save her now, Lib had her right where she wanted her.

A new bout of shrill laughter bombarded the room as Lib tickled Maiyuu mercilessly. The belly was always a tender target after all. It pretty much guaranteed a win.

"_C'mon_, what do you say!" Lib couldn't stop the guffaw crawling up her throat at the hatchling squirming in her lap. She was holding out rather well. Not even her younger sister, Raquel, could stomach her tickle-fests for long. _What a trooper!_

The girl was gasping around the force of her laughter now. Yet, still she refused to cave if the shake of her head was anything to go by. Lib had to give her some serious props. Her claws were perfect tickling weapons; they were by far better than any human nails.

It was about thirty seconds later that Lib finally saw the first signs of resignation. Pursed lips, scrunched eyes, and tense body. _I so got you, Maiyuu!_ Liberty's smile was wide and only growing wider. She couldn't tickle Jillian, not unless she wanted a one way ticket straight to hell. So, it was only fair that she took full advantage of this romping around session. Liberty had never been one to pass up a good time.

"U-u-uncle! U-ncle! _Uncle!_" screamed Maiyuu with a cry. Lib nearly howled with her victory; it was so fun to tickle people!

Skulley J. Liberty pulled her hands back to rest them on the mattress. While tickling was always fun it sure took the energy right out of you. Lib fell back on the bed with a huff Maiyuu sprawled across her legs. Now it the time for a breather. They both needed it after laughing so hard.

"…I win."

A weak giggle shook the small body spread over her legs; it was a happy sound. Winded but happy. The Gifted was glad for that. It didn't take much to know the hatchling lived through hell. Lived through_ reality _and reality was a cruel mistress. Sometimes it was far more evil towards the children than the adults. Lib was happy that she could bring some cheer into this little females life. Spirits knew she probably needed it.

"Um…L-liberty…?" The meek hesitation in those two words had Lib perking curiously, cautiously. Luminescent eyes softened, maternal instincts kicking in; it was sad to see such a cute child afraid to ask a simple question. Lib's voice became breathy, coaxing, motherly. It seemed to have an immediate effect as Maiyuu's tense shoulders slowly relaxed.

"You can ask me anything, Maiyuu. It's okay."

The little girl shifted slightly, head of blonde curls turning to look up at her, the eyes underneath wide and vulnerable. They also shimmered with wonderment like she was awed at the invitation. It had something tightening in Lib's chest and she had to work at covering her grimace else she discourage her new friend. She hated seeing any hatchling sad or morose. Hated it even more to see them treading on eggshells around something so simple. It just wasn't right; kids needed to be happy so they could have happy memories when they were older.

"I…I was just w-wondering about the…song. You were really, really good but I didn't understand it at all. Please, sing it again! I'll be quiet, I won't say any—"

"Hey, hey, it's fine. You're okay. I was just being stupid when I sang Windsong before; I should've sang it in english so you could understand, huh? Kinda defeats the purpose of me singing to you right?" Liberty chuckled ruefully, "So, I guess I'll have to sing it again for you. Hm, Windsong is pretty much a lullaby about sleeping peacefully with nice dreams. That's why I like the song; it helps me get to sleep."

Maiyuu soaked up her words like a sponge, yet she stayed silent, eyes glittering brightly in anticipation. Lib noted this and wondered idly if anyone had ever sang her a lullaby before. Probably not. _Pfft, I'm going to change that! No hatchling can live without hearing Windsong!_

Liberty lay back on the bed to get comfortable and inhaled deeply. When she exhaled a slow humming started up heralding the oncoming notes. Her voice was clear, trance-like, and low upon the first words…

_"Sing the song_

_Of the wind_

_When you know it's time and_

_Sing the song_

_Of the wind_

_When having sweet dreams_

_Sleep until the night ends_

_The wind of the night_

_Your song and my song_

_Our song goes on_

_The wind of the night_

_Your song and my song_

_Sing the song_

_Of the wind_

_When you know it's time and,"_

Lib's voice rose slightly in tempo, heightening her decibels in the chorus. Maiyuu looked properly awed at the lyrics, at the song itself. She'd never heard something more beautiful in her life. It was as enchanting as the first version.

_"Sing the song_

_Of the wind_

_(Sing the song of the wind)_

_When having sweet dreams_

_(When having sweet dreams)_

_(Sleep until)_

_Sleep until the night ends_

_The wind of the night_

_(Your song and my song)_

_Your song and my song_

_The wind of the night_

_Your song and my song_

_Sing the song_

_Of the night wind_

_When you know it's time and_

_Sing the song_

_Of the night wind_

_When having sweet dreams_

_Sleep until the night wind ends_

_The wind of the night_

_Your song and my song_

_Our song goes on_

_The wind of the night_

_Your song and my song."_

Skulley J. Liberty brought the song to a close with a smile. Singing Windsong always calmed her in ways nothing else could. It was the perfect lullaby; quiet, soothing, and it never failed to lighten things up. But she liked singing it in her native tongue way more than in english. The lyrics flowed better anyway. Though, Maiyuu, Lib noted, looked just as awed as the first time she'd sang.

"Oh wow! That was…was- I don't _know_ what to call it but it was beautiful! I wish I cou—"

_Growl, growl, growl!_

Awkward silence.

A flush of embarrassment bled Lib's face red. She could not stop the tinge of color stealing over her features at the disconcerting sound of her stomach. While dragons didn't need food as much as humans did they still needed it nonetheless. And it seemed Liberty's stomach had finally had enough of being empty. It wanted food _now. _

Maiyuu giggled girlishly as another growl was heard, Lib grasping at her belly with a grimace. "I think its hungry!" laughed the blonde girl gaily. Lib blinked at the statement; she couldn't quite remember the last time she'd had a meal._ Oh, Jill would rip me a new one if she was here! Dang it, I forgot to eat again!_

The Gifted nearly yelped when the bed bounced underneath her, but it was only Maiyuu crawling to the edge. She watched her progress curiously wondering where she was going. _No, don't leave again!_ The child wasn't going for the door, surprisingly, but she was heading over to a nightstand that Lib hadn't taken in yet. _Another thing Jill would yell at me for. I'm not paying attention to my surrounding. Man, I am out of it._

Maiyuu hopped off the bed and called over her shoulder, "I'm sorry I didn't give you this before. I should've given it to you right when you woke up. I'm really, really sorry!"

Lib, of course, would've countered her words with assurances if not for the deliciously heavenly smell of edible something attacking her nostrils. The scent that exploded through the room filled her nose and permeated her brain; it was impossible to _not_ drool. It smelled _that_ good and she didn't even know what it was. Her stomach didn't care either way. If it smelled good, tasted good, and was edible than she liked it._ Oh my life would be complete if it was spicy. Please have it be spicy!_

Maiyuu had her back turned on her new friend busy with trying to grab the heavy tray laden with food. She did not see the ravenous expression coming over Liberty's face foreshadowing a monstrous appetite. She didn't see her move either when the tray started to tilt. The weight was a little too much for her small hands to carry.

The blonde hatchling gasped when she lost grip on the tray and gasped again when it didn't spill. Blinking owlishly Maiyuu looked up meeting the strange slit gaze of the older woman. She stood directly behind her with hands gripping the tray tightly. _She's really, really warm, _thought the little child fleetingly. It took nothing for Lib to lift the tray and place it on the bed before hopping on the mattress herself.

She did not dig in. It was rude. "Well, c'mon, you're going to help me eat this," exclaimed Lib saucily. The excitement for food was evident in her tone. _Yay, yumminess! Come to me!_

It didn't take long for Maiyuu to jump on the bed, smiling and laughing happily, before digging in. The Gifted watched, brown-teal eyes intent and curious, as Maiyuu picked up a bowl full of steaming food and twirled what appeared to be noodles on her fork. They looked thin and _oh so tasty _but she didn't recognize the dish. Then again, there were countless human dishes she wasn't familiar with. There were so many!

Lib just hoped it tasted as good as it smelled. Mirroring the hatchling Lib picked up the other steaming bowl and dunked a fork under the broth. It was natural for her to sniff at the contents before eating something foreign. _Food, food, food! Oh, that smells like beef! Yum, meat!_

Taking a bite was like she'd died and gone to the Void. It was heaven, no, not even heaven could beat this! It was sorta like spaghetti and meatballs, but instead of having sauce it had broth and the meatballs where flat and not round. Lib brought a forkful to eye level and stared; the noodles were long, slender, and nearly see-through. _Like ghost noodles! Wait, what do you call this stuff!_

Swallowing a mouthful of the stuff - _ghost noodles _- Lib asked, "What do you call this dish? It's really delicious!"

Maiyuu chewed her mouthful, little brows furrowing, and swallowed. A smile curled her lips, brown eyes twinkling merrily. Lib wondered if she'd missed something; it was all too easy to see the giddy mischief grinning out from brown eyes.

An eyebrow climbed into Lib's hairline when Maiyuu sniggered, actually sniggered at her. _Sniggered!_ It climbed further when the little girl scootched over to her and leaned into her bubble. _Okay, what? _She was confused about what was going on.

Maiyuu sent a cursory glance at the door before facing her again. Her voice came out whisper-soft and oddly conspirative, "I think it's called something else but I call it Pho…," Maiyuu leaned closer and Lib got the feeling she was trying to be secretive. It was funny to watch, "because I heard daddy call it that. I wasn't supposed to be up but I couldn't help it! I was curious about the parties daddy has at night so I got out of bed and walked down the hall. On the way there I heard him in the kitchen, he was talking to the staff I think. The door was open a little so I peeked in to see what they were talking about. It was about some type of soup they were making, and I think the staff made it wrong which daddy doesn't like. He shouts a lot when things are wrong. I don't really remember what he said but before he slammed the door I heard him say_ pho. _So I call it Pho."

Lib stared.

And stared.

And nearly sweat-dropped.

Only a little girl could twist a curse word into the name for a soup. Lib would be laughing her ass off if not for the fact that Maiyuu would probably take it the wrong way. It was still funny as hell. _How the heck did she get pho from fuck you, or was it just fuck she heard? _

Lib shrugged at the thought and focused on eating the scrumptious _Pho._

_Yummy!_

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The first mate of the Kid pirates stood tall on a ledge overlooking the marketplace. It was easy to spot an individual when one had the higher ground, hence his rooftop perch. He'd already scoured the forties for the wyvern sister so he wasn't looking too hard after the initial search. But in Killer's mind it was always wise to check leads thrice.

This left him standing on some roof deep in the shopping center, arms crossed, with hidden eyes roving over the masses walking underneath. They had no clue he was there, absolutely no clue of the danger they were in. He could swoop down on any of them and cleave their bodies into bloody strips of flesh. But he wasn't going to; Killer was here on Reconnaissance, he could afford no distractions.

So he stood, hidden by height and shadow, and waited. The "Massacre Soldier" stiffened abruptly when the cacophony of shouting met his ears. It was high-pitched, extremely loud, and extremely _familiar_.

The blue and white mask lowered and panned slowly over the crowd under him. _There._

Tall, teal, and currently screaming at some random man held between her hands. There appeared to be two companions with her as they were standing within range of the Gifted. None of which were the second dragon. Good, Kid had expressed some annoyance about the shorter sister possibly putting a wrench in their plans to recruit Liberty. Having her absent was giving them an opportunity to retrieve their new crewmate. In other words, persuade her to join. Whether they would be using force or not was totally up to her.

Killer knew it would be the latter. She'd already shown an aptitude for defiance and obstinacy; two traits that had doomed her. One, it was that gall that had first attracted Kid. Two, Kid pirates didn't bow down before anything. Third, the captain had to approve. And Kid approved alright.

Approved to the point of going out and hunting down said new crewmate. When his captain wanted something and that something denied him he did not take to it kindly. Kid was not a man used to failure, rejection, or denial. No one refused Kid. There was a reason he was the highest bounty.

Violent, bold, and harboring intelligence that slumbered behind his eyes. For as long as he'd been a Kid pirate Killer had always known Kid possessed a finely tuned perception. It was that perception, that foresight, that would ensnare the Gifted.

Killer watched the wyvern closely for he did not want to lose sight of her. Without looking away from his target Killer activated his portable Den Den Mushi. The creature was small fitting into a device wrapped around his wrist which he rose to his mask.

After a couple of rings a growled voice came through. Kid was in a foul mood.

_What?_

"Kid, I found her."

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It was surreal being this close to so many humans.

Lib couldn't remember the last time she'd been so immersed within human culture before. Maybe, there_ wasn't _anything to remember. Actually walking among them, listening to the gossip, seeing the interaction, and being _down at their level _felt very intimate. Not the sexual kind, Lib knew nothing of the sort, but the kind one feels when they're eavesdropping on a couple. It had been uncomfortable for Liberty at first, who wouldn't be in such a situation? Being a Gifted usually meant running for your life where humans were concerned. If they didn't want you dead they wanted to own you like a piece of property which wasn't very appetizing company.

It was a novelty in being able to walk as they did, see what they did, and act casual for a change. No running for your life or fighting for your life. It was really exciting and Lib couldn't quite keep the smile off her face as she walked beside her companions. Earlier that day during lunch Maiyuu had told her that she was accompanying Unbachi to the marketplace and had asked if she'd like to come. The question had caught her off guard, until the anticipation hit, of course.

So, there she was strolling though the crowded streets filled wall to wall with stands of everything imaginable. _Too bad Jill isn't here she would've loved to people watch, _Lib had thought while first entering the place. She'd been properly awed by the noisy coexistence and general chaos that would normally end in disaster had it not been a usual circumstance. Marketplaces were always hectic, always.

Humans themselves were naturally chaotic creatures, hence the shopping district was loud and chock full of boisterous, shouting louts who would've given Jillian a headache had she been present. Lib, however, thrived on the hustle and bustle like a starved Luffy. She lived with noise and action and merrymaking; it was an intrinsic part of Skulley J. Liberty.

"…achi look at that one! It seems ripe, right? It's really squishy!"

Maiyuu's inquisitive voice broke through Lib's thoughts like a hammer against ice. She blinked back the dots in her vision and stared somewhat dazedly at her two new friends. They huddled by a fruit stand comparing their choices; it was funny to see a pink-haired man picking out fruit with a seven-year old. Not to mention said pink-haired man was ripped as all get out. Normally, the Tri-horn would've been all over the strangely cute but awkward man, but this usual reaction to muscle was repeatedly interrupted by the image of _another_ man.

One just as, if not more so, ripped than Unbachi. And he had soft hair…

_NO! No, no, no, no!_

Liberty shook her head furiously hoping the motion would shake that train of thought out of her mind. She _did not _want to remember, dang it! _No remembering! _Lib would rather die than to think about that…that…

_Urgh! Shut up brain!_

With another generous shake of her head Lib skipped over to her companions who'd already moved down several stands. She was in need of a distraction. Badly. She had no aspirations on being discovered, however, so hopefully said distraction wouldn't cause a scene. Plus, she liked being able to walk around without the need to constantly look over her shoulder, it got really tiresome at times. And Lib had enough trouble as it was; slapping another burden on top of it was something she did not need.

"Liberty? Liberty!" Said Gifted jolted out of her thoughts again, eyes slanting down to look quizzically at an equally puzzled Maiyuu. Having the older females attention Maiyuu smiled hugely and held up something resembling a kiwano fruit. It looked plump and oddly tasty. The fruit was unfamiliar to Lib but she liked the coloring - _it has yellow, red, and orange! - _and the appearance of it.

The fruit looked like a giant spiky ball.

_Too bad Jill's not here! I would've chucked it at her!_

Skulley J. Liberty smiled ruefully at the thought; she missed her partner-in-crime. But it was a bad time to transform as the marines were still at large. She wanted to lay low for a while until things calmed down. Only when the World Government stopped being a pain in the ass would she go search for her friend. It was just not advantageous to act now, not when she was still sore from Hibernation. There would be trouble if she encountered a confrontation. Her body still wasn't back to full strength yet.

"…ike it?" The disquieted tone lingering in Maiyuu's voice had Liberty jumping back to reality. Mentally cursing she noticed her lack of response had dredged up an uncomfortable nervousness in the poor child. It was obvious in her brown eyes that Maiyuu was fearful of abandonment. Quietly, Lib sympathized with the hatchling; she knew all to well the feeling of abandonment. Of being ignored, glared at, and despised.

It was one of her old haunts.

Burdens.

Burdens that were best left buried.

Liberty leaned down, face solemn but encouraging, and murmured, "It's awesome. I bet it tastes as awesome as it looks!" She smiled hoping her cheerful demeanor would revitalize the melancholy hatchling.

It didn't take long for those sad lips to curl into an answering smile. Liberty's inherent personality was rather infectious with its emotions, it was even more powerful around kids. Maiyuu was no exception. Straightening up the Tri-horn made to grab the girl's hand; contact was powerful in its reassurance.

…

Somebody crashed into them.

The impact had Lib and Maiyuu tumbling to the ground faces frozen in shock. It wasn't an easy fall either as both women released identical cries of surprised pain. The ground was hard, dusty, and covered with gravel that bit at their hands and knees. Pain really wasn't an issue for Lib who was used to falling, tripping, and generally running into dastardly surfaces that wanted to 'do her in'. Maiyuu, unfortunately, did not have Liberty's tolerance; it was blatant to the Tri-horn when the little girl started to cry.

Which was a _**big **__no-no _in Lib's mind. No one made hatchlings and/or children cry in Lib's presence. No one. _What. The. Hell! _In such a situation Skulley J. Liberty did what she always did, she went Mama Bear.

And with all the stress of the earlier fight, including Jill's near death experience, the dare, _her_ near death experience, and to top it all off her utterly traitorous emotions. That was the kicker. From the moment she'd opened her eyes she'd been bombarded with sensation after sensation; she had no clue about what it was. She hadn't been poisoned, yet at times she nearly felt…aflame. It was rather disturbing.

What was even more disturbing than that were the images - thoughts - that triggered the frighteningly unfamiliar feeling. She'd done her best over the course of the morning to _not_ think about _anything_ having to do with pirates. It would only bring up more memories, more thoughts, and - _shit, fuck, fire! - _sensations.

To say that Liberty was good at restraining emotion, unknown emotion, was a lie. She was horrible at it. No, she wore her heart on her sleeve for the world to see. It was_ her_, _her_ personality, _her_, and she wouldn't want it any other way. Which was why she was secretly bowing under the pressure riddling her body; she was quickly approaching her breaking point. Though, Lib had never had much self-control in the first place.

So, when said stranger _dared_ attempt a hit-and-run, Lib was right there grabbing the random man's collar to rip him back. She'd make him_ pay!_ For tripping them, for not saying sorry, for her weird _damnable_ feelings, for stupid dares, for dying friends, and for just being at the _right _place at the wrong, wrong time.

Liberty exploded on him.

"_You rude bastard! _Are you _fucking brainless _or did it _drop through your asshole _last time you took a shit! Do you find it_ funny _running little girls over? Huh! _God_, I should_ gut you _with a wooden spoon and _strangle _you with _your own bloody entrails! _I _hate_ people like you! I really do! You _stupid dumfungled asshat! _I hope you burn in the Void; no, the Void is _too good _for you! I hope you _rot _in Verdaron! It's perfect for _carrion filth _like _yourself! I swear to the Spirits _that if I _ever _see you around here again I'll rip your fucking arms off, stab you with them, play in yours guts, then feed your organs to my dog!"

Liberty growled at the helpless shaking man in her grasp, eyes narrowed furiously. She wasn't quite done. The man didn't look scared enough which meant he hadn't learned his lesson yet. Lib's fingers tightened around the assholes collar. The Tri-horn was milking _everything_ out of this chance to vent. It was a long time in coming for Skulley J. Liberty and she would not let it pass her by. _Hell to the freaking no! _She was also entirely unaware of the crowd her venting had gathered. So far gone was she in her heated 'scolding'.

Lips curling over her teeth, another onslaught of anger and stress hitting her, Lib ground out, "Do you _get _what I am saying, pile of human scum? _No? _Well, maybe, I should_ shout it louder! _Apparently, you have shit for brains so I'll say this in simple terms; you're an empty-headed _tree-fucking_,_ bastardized _son of a_ slime_ toting _Blob fish! _I feel _sorry _for your parents, they have an ugly son with absolutely _no sense! _Who runs over little girls! Now get the_ hell _out of my sight! No, get the hell off this island _**you maggot infested piece of half-digested excrement!**_"

Lib could not keep the satisfied tilt to her lips hidden, brown-teal eyes glinting smugly, as she watched the man scramble away from her. It felt very, very good to see the piece of rude filth tripping over himself to get away from her faster. Oh, how she loved to play - prank - the humans who were in the wrong place at the right time. Bad for them, of course, but it always brightened up _her_ day. Lib chortled evilly, eyes squinting to see the man staggering down the street. A curious sniff a moment later told the Tri-horn that the sorry excuse of a being had wet himself.

_Ha! Serves the bastard right! _

Feeling very enthused at the moment Liberty turned toward the scent of her companions_–_

And met the stares of all those watching the spectacle.

Lib froze. Her mind froze. Hell, even her heart stopped when she came face to face with nearly the entire street of people. _This_…_this is not good, not good at all! Too many people! Look away little humans, look away! _thought Liberty with a mental groan. She was supposed to be lying low. Screaming at a man - _stupid, lickspittle mudlark! - _was not lying low!

She grimaced.

Felt the sudden wave of approaching danger. She needed to move…

…_Instinct_…

It was blaring.

_DANGER, DANGER, DANGER!_

Lib glanced at Maiyuu, regret and something else swimming in her gaze.

Then she bolted.

She could already smell the scent of marines on the wind.

It would only jeopardize Maiyuu and Unbachi if she stayed.

If the marines caught them with her…

Liberty's grimace deepened.

Her one regret was not having said a proper goodbye.

…_She had to move_…

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

Skulley J. Liberty did not often enjoy the pursuits of her best friend.

One such pursuit being running; she _detested_ it, _hated_ it, but she couldn't survive without it. In the life of a Gifted running was essential, especially if you were being chased.

Like right now for instance.

Lib dodged around the shopping crowd cursing wildly, not daring to plow through the sea of bodies. If she risked going through she might get caught up in their pace and slowed down. Speed was necessary to keep ahead of her pursuers. She was approaching a fork in the road, one seemingly going down hill while the other was a bit of an incline.

She chose the incline, taking the meandering path straight up as fast as she could. The ground rose sharply and the gradation served to strengthen the aching in her legs and rob her of breath far faster than normal. _Damn the soreness of Hibernation! _Even though her body was healed from its wounds received in the clearing Hibernation always put a strain on the body afterwards. A strain that was being quite_ loud _right now. If her body had a voice it'd be screaming _fuck you!_

Gasping heavily, Lib spotted an alleyway coming up on her left and threw herself into it, hoping to lose the marines by hiding just out of sight, though not in the shadows as there were none. Normally her cloak was perfect for hiding, even if her short teal hair stood out among the people around her. From her hiding spot she peeked into the street, and watched for marines. _Stupid marines, stupid world government, stupid snitch!_

If only her hood hadn't fallen when she'd started running. But the cloak she'd borrowed from Maiyuu wasn't her own and it wasn't specifically made for a Gifted like her usual one was. Hence, it falling and her cover being blown. For once in her life Lib cursed her hair. And it wasn't even the color, millions of people had teal hair, but they didn't have glowing teal hair.

Liberty peeked out again. The marines were three buildings down from her, seemingly unsure about where she'd gone. Lib sighed in relief…until one of the street vendors approached the men, and suddenly pointed to her hiding spot. _Shit, fuck, fire! _She bolted out of the alley and ran down the street. Lib was of the mind that she had the advantage; the marines were burdened with carrying their guns, swords, and ammo, they'd have to tire sooner or later. Plus, she barely carried anything besides her pouch of poison supply.

"Halt, Wyvern Sister!" the marines - _annoying assholes! - _shouted.

The people down this street were fewer, thankfully. It was easier to run past humans than weave and push through them. Didn't have to use any elbows or teeth. Liberty spotted another small side street where the road branched off into three like a spider web. She turned right and kept running, the street she picked was going slightly downhill, and she thanked gravity for helping her along. The only downfall: it was thick with people and she was forced to dodge and weave around them as she ran.

"Shit, shit, shitty, shit, shit!" she cursed as she sprinted. _This day cannot get any worse!_

"You're under arrest, Wyvern Sister!" The marines shouted.

Lib flipped them the bird from over her shoulder and kept running. They weren't gaining on her but they weren't slowing down either. She didn't know how long her body, her _legs_, could keep up the pace. Another small side street came up on her right, she whirled on her toes, and gunned down it, nearly losing her footing during the turn. A brick wall wasn't very soft to careen into.

"Stop!" the marines hollered again.

"_Go fuck a tree!_" she snarled in response. In one last-ditch effort she threw her legs into another sprint. _Thank the Spirits for adrenaline!_

And was abruptly ripped sideways.

Her vision swam with white pixels at the unexpected movement.

The white exploded into black when her back slammed into a wall. She could not stop the gasp of pain upon impact. It _hurt! _Her back was the most sensitive right now because of its recovery. _What happened? _thought Lib woozily. Confusion was too kind a word for what she felt right now. Her brain was full of stuffing, her thoughts all scattered and disorderly, _hell _even her instincts were caught off guard.

"Have a nice stroll, _dragon?_"

Everything ground to a halt. _Everything_. Life, time, her heart, her blood - well, that froze - and her faculties too. She knew that voice. By God did she know that voice. She'd been desperately shoving it out of her brain since her awakening. Lib swallowed, choked, and gasped; two different kinds of fear pulsing through her blood.

Brown-teal eyes stared and widened when they registered the pale pectorals right in front of her. That's when her brain noticed the tight uncomfortable grip around her left bicep. Slowly, tortuously, Liberty raised her gaze. Pectorals, collarbone, throat, chin, nose…_Oh god, oh god, oh god!_

And met two seething red eyes.

Lib screamed.

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

She hurled herself to the side, screaming for all she was worth. Instincts finally kicking into gear she feinted to the left, dodging the grasping hand going for her arm, and made to bolt past him. Kid wasn't having any of it though. A swift pivot, a snapping hand, and then he was pulling her back. With a surprised cry, he threw her up against the wall, stunning her slightly, and caged her between his frame and the wall with his arms on either side of her head.

Her head whipped up, eyes wide and terrified, her whole body stiffened as she tried to press herself into the wall behind her. She was going to _die! _Oh Spirits, she had to escape!

Kid read her intentions easily and growled, "Bitch, you're not going _anywhere_," He leaned down, sneering lips by her ear and hissed, "I still have to _repay_ you for that little stunt you pulled back in the clearing."

Liberty's eyes widened, it didn't take much to remember what she'd done. For the goggles still sat snugly on his forehead, and she swore privately that they laughed maniacally at her. She would've glared at them had they not been attached to a very pissed off Supernova. _Oh no!_

Sheer terror gripping her mind, making her desperate, Lib scrambled sideways. She didn't feel her head bang into the gold bracelets around his left wrist but she definitely felt the sudden tug on her bra.

…_Wh-what?_

She looked down, and yelped out in shock at the sight of Kid's fingers wrapped around the front of her shirt. He tugged again, jostling her chest, and chuckled. The sound sent an immediate shiver up her spine. It was malicious and conniving.

He gave a sharp tug, pulling her away from the wall. She had no choice; there was no way she could slip past him, not when he had a hold of her bra. Her freaking _bra! _If she struggled too much he was liable to rip it off. That realization sent an uncomfortably_ familiar _feeling sizzling down in her stomach. It had her shifting in unease.

Kid gave another tug, dark lips smirking, confident. He knew he was in control and he_ reveled_ in it. The terror, the uncertainty of his intentions, the wide-eyed confusion, all of it sustained him like the bloodiest of battles. Like the first time he was enraptured by those inhuman eyes. Slit like a lizards, glowing like the moon, and alien to all. He couldn't get enough of them.

He tugged her closer and growled, "Look at me!"

He wanted to stare into those eyes again. Lib flinched at the rough voice above her and reluctantly met his gaze. His piercing, hellfire gaze. It took nearly all her willpower just to keep her eyes locked with his. Lib whimpered quietly and looked away. She couldn't handle it when his eyes brought that…that heat to her belly. It was weird, scary, and made her feel too hot to be normal. She felt like she had a fever and it was caused by _him! _

She didn't want to look at Kid, didn't want to feel what he was most likely doing to her. Liberty flinched again when his other hand, the one in the sleeve of his furry coat, grabbed her jaw and yanked her head up.

The fear pulsed, became sharp in her veins; it helped to fuel her actions. Jerking her head against the cruel grip on her face Lib tried backing away from the captain. The tightening around her chest was a loud reminder that she was trapped like a rat.

"No, let go!"

Her shouted demand was met with her back slamming against the wall. Lib cried out as concrete scraped through her new clothes. The pain throbbing in her back had her groaning. A moment later a very hard body pressed up against her successfully immobilizing any escape attempts. She was completely overwhelmed by this hulk of a man, and it frazzled her, shocked her at the feel of him. Kid was all hard angles and muscle. There was no fat, no weakness in his body, only terrible power.

It scared her, the reactions of her body scared her. She shifted again; it only made that clenching flipping sensation worse. The heat of it pooled at the base of her spine and coiled in her loins creating a deliciously— _no, frightening! Not delicious! _

Liberty's rational side screamed and railed against such unfamiliar intrusion. She had to stop _it_, she had to stop him!

She yelped, the haze of memory blinding her with a sense of déjà vu, when she felt Kid brush against her ear. _Oh Spirits no! _

It was a Godsend when he only spoke into it. "Bitch! Did you just give _me _an _order?_ No one orders me around, bitch, _no one! _I am the fucking _captain_ here which means, " Kid fisted a hand in short teal hair and pulled down, ignoring the yelp of pain, "_you_, bitch, listen to _my_ orders! Got that!"

No response.

Red eyes grew impatient, lips pulled in a snarl; Kid wanted a damn reply. His fingers tightened around his dragons hair. Kid growled into her ear, "I said _got that!_"

He nearly, very nearly lost his temper when no reply met his ears. The Supernova from South Blue did not take kindly to defiance. And Liberty's continued defiance would cost her.

An idea suddenly formed in his head and promptly replaced his hot temper with smug anticipation. It showed on his features yet Lib was too busy squinting at the sky due to the pressure on her hair.

Kid's lips curled into a sinister Glasgow grin that split his face. This was going to be fun. He was all too aware of her attraction to him; it was something she seemed totally unaware of. The signs were all there, blatant and obvious. Her lack of knowledge gave him the perfect window for his plan. Kid's smirk widened if possible, became heat and dominance and sex. Not only would he get to teach her a lesson on discipline but he would get to _educate_ her on a more…_pleasurable_ subject.

Abruptly, Kid released Liberty's hair and her head fell against his chest at the unexpected freedom.

Her relief was short-lived, dying quick and painful, when Kid bent down slightly, hooked both his hands around her thighs and hoisted her up against him. The sharp gasp that puffed over his skin had blood falling south for Kid. His _predicament _was stoked higher at finally feeling what had been plastered to his back in front of the auction house. She was nicely toned all over and so very, very soft.

Kid wasn't worried about her escaping, he had her well and truly pinned. She was going nowhere.

Liberty was beside herself with emotion. She wasn't just feeling one, no, she was feeling a million different things right now. Panic, fear, anxiety, embarrassment, mortification, anger, and _sensation_. She was overtaken with sensation and all she could do was tremble helplessly against such unfamiliar territory. Her body was hot, too hot, and she- _it_ craved for something. Something that scared her so bad she almost sobbed if not for her pride stopping her.

Whatever Kid was doing was wrong and unfair!

Conflict waged war with the unnamed feeling; it danced and tightened within her navel. She could not fight it. Some small traitorous part of her brain enjoyed the heated pool of _euphoria _in her gut. While the other parts clustered together and struggled to shove down the coiling amassing in her lower regions. This defense was shot down when Kid pulled her thighs, hence her legs around him.

The clenching in her belly grew tighter and panic seized Liberty upon feeling…

Lib's mind crashed and burned at the sudden explosion of heat searing through her body. All from the contact of their bodies. Their hips to be precise. Her body trembled more when said contact intensified and Lib let out a moan.

The sound was a rude awakening for the Tri-horn. That and Kid's voice cut through the fog of arousal that Lib was unknowingly caught up in.

Kid's smirk was still present when he saw the half-lidded gaze of Skulley J. Liberty. He got her and she didn't even know it. Dark triumph filled him at her dazed features. Her guard was down. Evidence of this being the moan he'd felt against his chest, its breathy quality boiling his blood. He found it to be a very sexy sound. A very sexy sound that was making him harder than a rock.

And she knew it too, since he was pressing it against her. He wanted her to feel what she was doing to him.

Cruel smirking lips brushed against the sensitive shell of Lib's ear and whispered sinfully, "_This _is the right side, dragon." The Supernova punctuated this statement with a thrust of his hips. But the haze hovering over Lib was slowly starting to thin, shock replacing it. Shock and another steadily growing emotion. Of course, his move still ripped a moan out of her which she just _barely _managed to choke off.

He was…_ rubbing_ against her! _Oh. My. Fucking. God!_

And it wasn't his hand this time! It was…was his…his…

Liberty blushed, a new red covering her already crimson face. It had been that color for a while. God, she couldn't even say it! Lib wanted to go die under a tree, hide under a rock at the bottom of the ocean somewhere, anything! She wanted to be away from this man and his addictive heat. For that was the root of Liberty's fear; her want, it was deeply buried. A want that wasn't even conscious. It was a want borne from the deep recesses of her psyche. Therefore, it was not something she was truly understanding of, thus her fear.

Lib jolted against Kid, hands coming up to_ do something_. Push, pull, grab, she didn't know. She was so very confused with the situation. Kid was making it worse by pressing himself against her. And so intimately too!

And what was worse were her legs. The heat of his palms lay heavy on the outside of her thighs. So snugly wrapped around his waist, with hardly any space between them, she was completely flush with him from chest to thigh. She could feel him through the material of her pants, feel him through her shirt. It was a hair-raising contact, along with him…pressing into her.

His hips snapped forward again, Lib gasping at the feel of his…hardness. This was so wrong. But it felt so—

_NO!_

She could not surrender to the heat. She had to- Lib gasped when Kid abruptly bit her earlobe for the second time. It sent her stomach flipping, the heat coiling tighter. She moaned. He blew hot air over the bite and husked, "Now where were we, bitch? I remember, you were going to apologize to your captain for giving him orders, weren't you?"

Liberty's heart was palpitating so fast it felt like an endless drum in her chest. She could even hear it roaring in her ears. Too bad it didn't block out the _devils_ voice. It was with a curl of resentment and fear that Lib took in his words.

_I am not yours, damn it! You're not my captain!_

Oh, how she wanted to spit those words into his face. The only thing stopping her was the constricting ball of fear and the savage glint lurking behind two hellish red eyes. Eustass "Captain" Kid was a dangerous man. A brutal, unforgiving man, and right now it would be foolish to cross him.

If Lib wasn't so enveloped by arousal she probably would've taken the foolish route. No one ever said Skulley J. Liberty couldn't be foolish once in a blue moon. She liked to call it being daring.

Large, calloused hands pulled her legs tighter around him and Kid did something that threw Lib for a loop. He ground his erection into her pelvis; it garnered an instant reaction. Lib cried out, bodily control running rampant, her back aching with the unexpected burst of pleasure streaking through her bloodstream. His voice rumbled in his chest before she heard it and that too sent another thrill through her.

"Say it, bitch, say 'I'm sorry, captain.'"

The grinding continued. Lib didn't know whether to call it torture or pleasure. Surely this was torture. _S-stop! Stop! Stop it!_

"Stop it!" God, she didn't recognize her voice! It was too low, too husky to be hers. Lib studiously ignored the moan that had slipped out with the two words. Kid wasn't pleased. This was supposed to be where the bitch said the words "I'm sorry, captain" and not "Stop it."

Kid's jaw clenched angrily and he pressed her harder against the wall. Teeth gnashing, Kid snarled, "Say it, dragon!"

Something deep, deep down inside of Liberty rebelled at hearing the demand. It hissed fervently, bristling in rage. She stayed defiantly silent which pushed Kid further. Said Supernova's eyes narrowed, the bloody crimson dark with temper. He _would_ have her submission.

One hand released a captive leg and rose to grip the back of the_ bitches _head. If she wouldn't say it on her own than he'd just have to force it out of her. He met the dazed but impudent gaze of his dragon and smirked provocatively.

Then he kissed her, and it was overpowering and shocking. Dragons, Gifted, didn't kiss. It was a human act. Something that even their ancestors had forgotten. Liberty squealed into Kid's mouth, thrown for a second loop. Though, this gave the Supernova amble opportunity to slip his tongue inside her mouth which brought on a whole other level of shock to Lib's system.

A large, warm hand cupped her face, forcing her head to the side for a better angle. Kid plundered her mouth like the pirate he was, exploring every surface, every nook and cranny available. Liberty was unused to the act of kissing, the meeting of lips, the tangling of tongues, it was all alien to her. She didn't know how to react to it. But this didn't stop Kid. He continued to taste her avidly; she was warm with a tangy flavor that wasn't spicy or sweet. Two flavors he despised so he was quite delighted when she was neither. He drank from her slowly, memorizing her taste, her mouth, drawing out the kiss far longer than normal.

He nibbled her bottom lip, biting it hard enough to bleed, and suckled on it devotedly. Lib whimpered at the pain, whimpered at the intimate intrusion. She was growing faint from lack of air but he still continued to kiss her. Panic and distress seared through her brain along… with pleasure?

Her blood tasted metallic. Kid smirked against her lips, running his tongue against hers slowly teaching her how to play. Nevermind that her hands were beating at his chest. He was pushing the kiss to its limit and she could do nothing but take it. Kid's hand forced her head back further so he had more room to roam. And roam he did, pushing his tongue further into her mouth, uncaring of the fact that she protested. She tasted far better than he'd expected and he wanted more.

Liberty's vision was going black, slowly, painstakingly. If this was a kiss than Lib was certain humans were insane. While it felt good, okay it felt amazing, it was zapping her oxygen like fish in a barrel. She needed air!

Kid knew the perfect moment to release his defiant crew member and that was right before she passed out. With a _pop_ he pulled back from her lips, amusement bright in satisfied red eyes as he surveyed his work. Seeing his marks upon her lit his masculine pride up like nothing else could. He relished in her bruised and bloody lips, her wide eyes, and most of all her labored gasping breath.

She stared at him with shocked brown-teal eyes, completely speechless. Well, the speechless part probably was because she was gasping for air. But Kid liked to think he'd shocked the bitch speechless. Yet, his work was only half done. He still needed to hear her say _the words._

Locking his gaze with her own Kid glared and said, voice rumbling, "Will you say it now, bitch? I can do it again,_ longer_." The threat had Lib shuddering, bruised lips trembling at the mere thought of going through _a kiss _again. Or more like going through_ his kiss _again. It was too much, too close! Liberty didn't know whether to spit in disgust or moan in pleasure. Still panting Lib opened her mouth but no words came out.

Honestly, what could she say? She _wasn't_ his underling, and she never would be. Who wanted to be under a violent, evil man like Eustass Kid? Not her. The thought of actually apologizing rankled like no tomorrow. It had that deep inner well of instinct stirring, growling, hissing in discontent.

"…No." It was a feather-light whisper. Kid's expression darkened and he growled, "No, what!?"

"No, I-I…I'm…, " The beginnings of a smirk stole over Kid's face. She was saying it, "I'm…sor—"

_DON'T YOU DARE!_

Lib's eyes went impossibly wide. What was that, what was this sudden feeling? It was intense. The words that weren't really words but more of an instinctual impulse roared through her mind. It stopped her flat. Something was bubbling up from the recesses of her subconscious, something unrecognizable yet familiar nonetheless. It gradually spread outward, thick and cloying, and silently snarled at the dangerous male she was wrapped around. The power of it swallowed her fear, her sense of helplessness; there was nothing it couldn't take on.

It was an instinct Liberty realized fleetingly. She'd awoken an instinct and it disliked, even hated Eustass "Captain" Kid.

"Don't make me wait, bitch!" The voice of said captain seared into her ears, and it would've frightened her, but she felt nothing only a sense of primal malignance. What she did feel was that instinct shift, taking over her mentality with a hiss. It clawed at her insides and roared its fury. It would submit to no male! Especially not to a_ human_.

Slit eyes narrowing, growing dark, Lib raised her head and glared, lips pulled over her teeth in a hateful snarl of contempt. Her voice came out guttural and vicious, nothing like its normal pitch. The dominance instinct had awoken and it was in control.

"You're the only bitch here, human!" Liberty's next move was barely visible it was so fast. Dragon speed was not to be underestimated, though Kid wasn't a Supernova for nothing. A fact that probably saved his life.

If he hadn't seen the glint of the needle it most likely would've hit its mark: his heart, but it hit just below his collarbone. A snarl ripped from his lips when his entire right torso became numb. _What the fuck!_

But Lib wasn't done, she wouldn't stop until she was free and safe. Using the wall her back was pinned to she shoved Kid away with inhuman strength, snarling back at him when he didn't move far. But it was enough to snap her legs from out of his grip. She followed her release by dropping to the ground and kicking out with a leg to block the downward swing of Kid's dagger. She caught it with the heel of her boot and flung it at the west wall of the alleyway.

Once she got both feet planted on the ground she bolted for the main street, ignoring the enraged curse from the lax human behind her. He deserved it! _Ha, asshole!_

She was gone before Kid lost complete control over his body.

* * *

AN: Thank you for reading! Yeah I know, it took a long time to get it out but it's a monster, right! It just _did not_ want to end! Hm, yet when I read through it I feel like something it missing. Do any of you get that feel? Meh, whatever. I'm probably just being weird. But, fans, cookies to all for being patient with me! I thank you for that! And if any of you are wondering, yes, both Jillian and Liberty awakened their flight or fight aka dominance instinct because of Law and Kid. I'm not telling you why, you'll have to read to find out but I wanted to clear that up.

As for the kiss, well, the whole Gifted have an entirely different culture that differs completely to the human one. Which hopefully you'll see more of.

Have a heart and _review_ you _shy little barnacles!_ I'm all ears! I love hearing your comments so **_review! _**It really does help get the chapters out faster! More reviews people, more updates! And as for my regular reviewers, this chapter is for you!


	8. Arousal? What!

Hello minions! Guess what? I'm **back!** :O

I intended this to be released much sooner, but shit happens, like freak accidents, killer essays, stress, weird sickness dizzy shit, and well a general case of_ I-don't-have-the-motivation! _But all is well now. Maybe. Possibly.

Though, I will say one thing. People when an author doesn't update she obviously needs a wake up call aka **A KICK IN THE ASS!** Meaning an _update_. Food. For. Authors. Food, people. Don't make me send Law and Kid after all of you!

Meh, whatever. I am fine. I don't need you! *goes to cry over lack of reviews*

Okay, I'm good now.

Onward!

**Chapter 7: Arousal? What!**

_"Run desire run, sexual being,_

_run him like a blade. To and_

_through the heart. Temporarily_

_pacify this hungering. Constantly_

_consuming. One motive. Bridle_

_all this indiscretion."_

**The Hollow by A Perfect Circle**

Libraries were everything.

Authentic pools of knowledge, power, and wisdom. Lore without prejudice, descriptions and facts for every known speculation. Within the endless dance of words, the world of ideas is paramount, guided only by the mind caprices with its innumerable questions. Mighty lords and grand masters long past, the celestial bodies and their eternal existence rest in faded pages with ruthless resolution. The information of all held in suspended animation, words bound between hide and paper.

Surprisingly, the Library resembled home to Jillian. The familiar ambience of it stirred nostalgia and longing in her breast. The notion carved a reminiscing path, a permanent reminder of the purpose of her existence before an overwhelming and still undiscovered future. Breathing paradox and mystery, it was the place for perfect darkness and perfect solitude. A perfect place to feel _everything._

A slight, barely perceivable sound emanated from the motionless figure of Sonneillon B. Jillian. Her wary gaze didn't show any sign of conscious acknowledgement to the massive chamber, but her watchful expression and posture radiated an archaic aura that harmonized with the black tranquility that surrounded the Sabaody Archipelago Central Library.

It truly was a vast place. Seemingly ancient with its red wood walls and old scents. The staircase she stood on spiraled down to dozens of looming bookcases that were lined up in long, unending rows. Having sharper than normal eyes Jillian could clearly see the few wanderers carrying lanterns and candles which created circles of orange light in the surrounding dark. Some of the beams of light were balanced on narrow platforms that ran along the uppermost shelves, while others wheeled themselves on railed ladders, pulling out a tome here or there for investigation.

The human patrons were spread out over the maze-like room, some so far away that Jillian wondered at the actual size of the library. The air smelt of worn leather, rotten wood, oil, and dust.

_Urgh, dust._

Sometimes it just didn't pay to have a sensitive nose. Especially, when that sensitive nose was encompassed by the damn stuff. _Stupid humans! Is Shakky the only human who knows the value of dusting!?_

Jillian was irritated, sore, and very, very alert.

Her senses were strained outward, constantly vigilant, waiting for enemies, watching for _him_. She'd made a mistake last night and the price was still reeling through her mind, her _body_, leaving a trail of fire and discord. It left her with an imbalance that tore at her control and ate at her composure. Left her with visions and thoughts and _heat_ that seared her brain and pooled in her belly. However, that wasn't what irked her; it was the reason she was here that caused her such irritation. A reason involving the unruly state of her body and its wild reactions and the question of_ what_. That her own flesh and blood would insult her so was simply unheard of among the Gifted. There was nothing like this among the Gifted, at least, as far as she was concerned.

Which brought her to the conclusion that Trafalgar Law had done something to her. A malicious attack of some sort that she'd missed while reviewing her memories. Just the thought of her mistake had Jillian's lips curling at the edges, eyes brightening with primal hatred. _Uncouth bastard!_

Oh, Jillian was aware of what had transpired inside her in that little room above The Rusty Boot. The Gifted as hatchlings were educated on the many instincts slumbering inside of them, waiting for the right moment to awaken. Each instinct had its own function, its own purpose in a dragons survival and life. Some instincts were never awakened, while others awoke on a dime.

It was just her luck that Trafalgar Law had triggered the Dominance Instinct. An instinct that had a pale dusting of pink dotting Jillian's cheeks, both from keen embarrassment and angry confusion. For Trafalgar Law was a human and she a dragon. Surely it was _impossible _for a human to trigger a _bloody mating instinct! _It…it was just wrong to even think about!

Jillian sneered in disgust, slit eyes narrowed and filled with tumultuous emotion. She wouldn't waste her time thinking over things that didn't matter. What she needed to do was find what she'd come here to find. Knowledge.

Knowledge to explain and hopefully shed some light on her situation.

Sniffing delicately so as not to stir up any dust Jillian peered into the darkness of the library with glowing eyes. If anyone had been able to see her from under her cloak they would've seen two teal pinpoints of light. But no one looked and no one bothered to notice the shadowy figure slither down the stairs and into a hallway.

In the bowels of the library time itself gave the illusion of immobility. It bled into the background for Sonneillon B. Jillian; a factor that held no real weight anyway. Time to a dragon was not a worrisome cause for they lived for centuries upon centuries. Death was something they were taught to never fear; the Void would bequeath unto those, who were worthy of joining its ranks, everlasting peace in the afterlife. If a Gifted lived a good life and was good to others they would enter the Void, which humans called heaven.

If the blood of innocents blackened the hands of a Gifted, if they held transgressions upon their head, they would fall to the pit of Verdaron. Hell to a dragon. It was a place filled with the ash of the wicked. A place known for its painful dues, agonizing retribution, and eternal damnation. There was no repentance in the world of the Gifted. None. If the soul of a Gifted fell to Verdaron they would suffer for their actions without pause; they did not deserve repentance.

Jillian snorted at her train of thought. How utterly appropriate of her to think such things. Standing silently in the middle of a bookcase, tome in hand, Jillian dared to look down, dared to stare at her hands.

Red. Her hands_ dripped _with it. A curse, the marking of the damned, it was. Like a brand it stained her palms, her fingers, her claws; the blood was a reminder. For it was not the blood of countless marines, evil doers, and scum that stained her hands.

…_The blood of innocents_…

She would fall.

…

Jillian tried her best to swallow around the lump in her throat. Her face, shadowed and blissfully hidden, fractured and broke. The façade, the mask she wore around everyone, lowered, slipped, and left her true visage behind. Yet, only the surrounding dark was witness to this show of vulnerability and _sheer emotion_.

Within the darkness of the library Jillian allowed herself to feel, allowed herself to _grieve_. Though, there were no tears, or uncontrollable sobbing; even as exposed as she was some walls would always remain.

It had been over three hundred years since she'd dropped her mask. Three hundred years since she'd been alone long enough to; Liberty was her constant companion, and they needed each other in ways no one could ever understand. Not that Jillian would ever allow anyone to understand. That would involve them getting close.

An action that brought a disdainful snarl to Jillian's face. Besides Liberty and a few others she accepted, trusted, no one. They weren't worthy, they weren't _safe. _And the safety of those she did find worthy of her friendship was both a burden and an oath upon her shoulders. It was the bane of her conscience, the terror in the nightmares, and the reason for her eventual demise.

There was nothing she wouldn't sacrifice for her home, her people, her friends.

They were all that mattered.

A shadow flitted over her face, slit eyes clouding over with—

The sound of approaching footsteps slew the silence and her security like butter. There was something, a small part of Jillian, that cried out at the loss of emotional freedom but it was soon swallowed by the returning walls of impenetrable stoicism.

From beneath her hood Jillian watched the light of a lantern illuminate the row she was in. The person who held the contraption was short and old; not a threat, but still someone to be wary of. The circle of orange came no closer to her than twenty feet and Jillian was glad for it. She'd rather not be seen by anyone.

When the stranger turned toward a shelf Jillian took the chance to slip away with her cargo. With her cloak hiding the sudden life and death of light the Gifted partially transformed, her arms becoming wings, and flew up and over several bookcases. Thankfully, the cloak had belonged to Unbachi who was by far taller and wider than she was, so it completely swamped the bright coloring of her wings.

She was a flying shadow among the darkness.

Feeling the air, stale as it was, against her face calmed the well of anxiety that had gripped her when she'd heard the stranger. That split second of uncertainty, of not knowing who was there, had shaken her terribly. There she was with her façade down, vulnerable, for the first time in centuries and someone had encroached on that tentative unveiling.

Someone who could've been Trafalgar Law.

_Or someone worse_…

Frowning darkly Jillian scolded herself for the thinking such a thought. _Stupid mistake! Stupid! Grr!_ She seemed to be making them a lot lately, especially when it involved a certain Supernova. Giving herself a strong mental headshake Jillian descended having spotted her 'base of operations.'

It was the top of a bookcase.

Sonneillon B. Jillian was never one to stay on the ground, it just wasn't in her nature. High places were her haven. Landing silently Jillian brought her tail around and released the heavy tome it had carried. She caught it aptly and opting to stay as she was did not banish her wings or tail. It was just too comfortable a form for her.

And no one would see her unless they were on an opposite bookcase.

Folding herself neatly on her clawed feet Jillian used her three clawed fingers to open the giant book. Because it wasn't the first tome she'd opened in her search she was ready when the cloud of cloying dust puffed out into her face. Jillian did not want to waste half an hour snorting dust from her nostrils twice. It was annoying and painful.

Closing her eyes and pressing her nose into her shoulder Jillian counted to ten before looking back at the book. The first page said _Human: A Study of Reactions_.

Ignoring the five other books spread out around her Jillian flipped to the chapter titles. Frowning, eyes narrowed critically, the Hellfire perused the unfamiliar terms. Jillian wasn't keeping track of the time but she knew hours had gone by in her search for why her body was rioting. So far she'd found nothing that clicked with her situation.

It was getting frustrating. But the search was keeping her up and away from her dreams. Sleep was not an option until she found Liberty. If she closed her eyes again without the Tri-horn there the skeletons in her closet would tumble out, shrieking and chanting words she didn't want to hear. And since her other option, drowning herself in drink, had been cruelly ripped away and replaced with more_ problems_, well, Jillian was finding her situation less than heavenly.

Blue-teal eyes glared at the page, incomprehension and impatience looming thick on her brow. Hopefully this book would have more pertinent information on her _problem_. If not then she would just go find another one. _Lucky number six_, sneered Jillian mentally.

The list of words on the page meant nothing to her. _Nothing. _She knew none of them as they all dealt with human biology. _Boring!_

The dragon body was so much more complex and interesting; compared to her physiology the human body was pale and simple. Jillian stared down at the list again and tried picking one that sounded engaging.

**Chapter 1: Human Genetics. **_Hn, again boring._

**Chapter 2: The Importance of Evolution. **_Tch, she'd seen them evolve, why the hell would she want to read about it._

**Chapter 3: Systems of the Body. **_What does that even **mean?**_

**Chapter 4: Human Anatomy. **_I just wasted three seconds reading that!_

**Chapter 5: The Miracle of Reproduction. **_Only the good ones came from good breeding._

**Chapter 6: The Cerebrum. **_I don't want to know what that is!_

**Chapter 7: The Whole Picture. **_I don't want the whole Goddamn picture! I want to know what the hell is happening to me, Goddamn it!_ A hiss whistled around her fangs before slipping past her lips; it was a sound of displeasure. Acute displeasure.

Frustration sitting tight and dense in her belly Jillian just picked one and flipped to the page.

_Chapter 5: The Miracle of Reproduction._

Jillian read the title with a furrowed brow but continued to read. It was_ moderately _interesting.

…_The female body_…_the male body_…_sexual characteristics_…_conception_…_pregnancy_…

The Gifted felt the dull throb of curiosity tremble through her senses at those five terms.

Sonneillon B. Jillian like her best friend was an avid reader, thus her complete lack of attention on anything but what she was reading. It was a comforting hobby, something to lose herself in; such a pastime was precious to Jillian.

She had just finished scarring herself while reading _The Male Body _when something in the section of _Sexual Characteristics _caught her eye. She immediately focused on it.

_Arousal is a physiological and psychological state of being awake or reactive to stimuli. A number of physiological responses occur in the body and mind as preparation for sex and continue during it. Mental stimuli and physical stimuli such as touch, and the internal fluctuation of hormones, can influence sexual arousal._

_Depending on the situation, a person can be sexually aroused by a variety of factors, both physical and mental. A person may be sexually aroused by another person or by particular aspects of that person, or by a particular thought of that person._

Jillian felt a wave of frozen shock wash over her. It was a slow, steady realization, one met with denial after denial. But the way her body was responding to the words was too evident, too incriminating to ignore. She continued to read in mounting horror.

_A person can normally control how they will respond to arousal. They will normally know what things or situations are potentially stimulating, and may at their leisure decide to either create or avoid these situations. Similarly, a person's sexual partner will normally also know his or her partner's erotic stimuli and turn-ons. Some people feel embarrassed by sexual arousal and some are sexually inhibited. A person can take an active part in a sexual activity without sexual arousal._

_These situations are considered normal, but depend on the maturity, age, culture, and other factors influencing the person. Given sufficient stimulation, sexual arousal in humans will typically end in an orgasm. Sexual arousal causes various physical responses; sexual arousal for a man is usually indicated by the swelling and erection of the phallus. In a woman, sexual arousal leads to increased blood flow to the clitoris and vulva, as well as the seeping of moisture through the vaginal walls which serves as lubrication. _

_Other known indications involve heightened respiration, bodily flush, dilated pupils, sweating, and restlessness. All actions are general for sexual arousal in the normal circumstance..._

There was no word in Jillian's vocabulary to describe the upheaval. A mixture of hysteria, fear, disgust, and fury seared through her veins and flipped the acid in her stomach. She was so caught off guard by what she'd read that her mask had fallen; her true expression bleeding into her features like oil on water. Pale skin, gaping jaw, widened eyes, and raised eyebrows were present on her countenance and it only worsened.

Once the initial surprise fell away real recognition sank in, painstakingly, with heaps of disbelief. Denial was close on its heels, as well as its counterpart fury. Jillian's mind had a meltdown; all the information from the book had snowballed into something so foreign, so _alien_ that it had knocked out her senses. Her orderly mind with its neat analytical skills and cunning edge had revolted, buckling under the pressure of realization.

The realization that she'd been…aroused by-…Spirits she couldn't even _think_ it! Jillian shook her head violently. How could she even feel_ that _towards_ him?_ It didn't make sense! It was impossible, absurd, inconceivable, preposterous, unreasonable, impractical, inexcusable, unacceptable, and…and…_ unachievable!_

It was all of those words and _more!_ The Hellfire wyvern recoiled from the book, eyes still wide, face still pale; she wanted nothing to do with it. She missed her scrolls! _They_ didn't lie! Surely this human literature was full of deception!

_No, that wouldn't work! Shakky told me about this place and she doesn't lie! So then why would she send me to a place of lies if she doesn't lie! Arrgh!, damn it! Damn the book! DAMN LAW!_

_I_…_I w-wouldn't feel __that! __Hell no! Never!_

Jillian shuddered, her wings twitching erratically. The book was wrong, she couldn't be sexually aroused by-…_Damn it! _

Her fence of denial was strong but it could not defeat the cold, hard evidence of memory. And memory was_ ruthless _in its quest of reminders.

_("…Fine, fine, you persistent lizard he was hot! Okay, I admit it! I like his hat, I like his eyes, I even like his weird ass pants!" growled Jillian in a rush of air._

_"And?"_

_"What the hell do you want me to say!"_

_"And!"_

_"Arrgh! Get off my back! I'm not saying it!"_

_"AND!"_

_"FINE! I like his body, Goddamn it! You happy now!")_

Oh Spirits! Oh_ fucking _Spirits! She was not-…She couldn't be _attracted_ to that bastard!

But she was.

And it was slowly, steadily sinking in.

Her mistake the other night aided memory in reminding her of her_ responses. _Of course, if she'd been human Jillian could've blamed the whole thing on the basis that she'd been drunk out of her mind. Dragons, however, had a very fast metabolism _and_ the ability to recount all the events while under the influence. She wasn't lucky enough to forget like a normal human being.

Jillian was finding this skill to be a curse and not a blessing.

She couldn't blame it on_ anything_. All she could do was admit it to herself.

…A notion that she struggled with viciously.

_I do NOT like Trafalgar fucking Law! No __fucking__ way!_

Unbidden, an angry snarl ripped from her lips and echoed around the massive room. The sound went unchecked by the Gifted who was too busy wrestling with the cataclysm that was her jumbled mind.

Scattered words - both the books and hers - thundered through her thoughts, visions flashed across her mind's eye, images had her mentally reeling in confused horror, and then_ his _voice cut through…

_("When I have you back on my ship…you'll become __very__ familiar with my touch…__here__.")_

Groaning at the voice Jillian dug her palms into the sockets of her eyes and sat there silently. She either didn't care or wasn't aware that her wings and tail had regressed back into human limbs. Probably a bit of both.

_Okay, calm down! This isn't the end of the world! You're not dead yet so calm the fuck down! Think clearly_…_I need to think this through so it can't be used against me._

Jillian lowered her hands and placed them on her knees; to calm down she took slow deep breaths till her brain settled. Meditation was her saving grace, a rock of stability in the raging river of her subconscious. After the storm of panic dispersed Jillian opened her eyes and moved back over to the book. This time there was no fearful shying at its content, only a repulsed scowl. She'd read the damn thing over and over if she had to, one way or another she'd find something that would help her build her defenses.

Because there was no way she was leaving the library without a defense. Next time Law met her she'd be ready for him.

So with a methodical sweep of the - _disturbing!_ - passage Jillian picked out all the sentences that needed analyzing.

…_by particular aspects of that person_…

…_A person can normally control how they will respond to arousal_…

…_sexual partner will normally also know his or her partner's erotic stimuli and turn-ons_…

Out of five paragraphs only three sentences caught her eye. Huffing, Jillian stared at the first one, eyes narrowed critically. It was talking about aspects…What were the aspects of a person? The Hellfire tilted her head in contemplation. Well, she knew it meant a particular feature of something or someone. Aspect, in her mind, dealt with appearance and scent and body language. Could it be that?

A furrow of tension deepened Jillian's brow.

If the book was saying an aspect of a person could be…arousing then did that mean she found something aesthetically pleasing about Trafalgar? He was hot, yes, but nothing she hadn't seen before. She'd seen better men over the centuries.

…Or not.

_Oh shut up!_

Now the question: what was the attractive aspect? His face? His height? His voice? His scent? His eyes? His…body? Or was it all of them together? Jillian shook her head, no, there was something she wasn't getting. Something she should be focusing on. _Damn it! What is it!_

Like the slow ebb and flow of a stream a memory, unbidden, came to the forefront of her mind.

_(It wasn't Lib, she was certain of that. Her nose never lied; her best friend didn't smell like…warm spice and…electricity?_

_Huh?_

_Jillian grew confused because she didn't know anyone who smelled so…so __intoxicating__. She didn't care to wake up, her body felt like crap, but she'd face anything if only to smell more of this scent. It was both soothing and sharp in its fragrance. The way it coalesced in her nostrils like storm clouds before permeating her mind nearly had her feeling drunk.)_

Warm spice and electricity.

His scent.

Jillian swallowed at the memory, blue-teal eyes shuttering. She'd smelled him in that clearing for the first time and it had nearly shot her nostrils to the Void. It was just _that _good, it was just that _dangerous. _A scent that intoxicating meant trouble for her, especially with Law after her. _Annoying bastard!_ So if his scent aroused her or, at least, helped to contribute to her state of arousal then she had to _not_ scent him. If his scent wasn't in her system, wasn't clogging up her mind, it would be all the better for her in the long run.

She wouldn't have to smell him, therefore the scent wouldn't hamper her bodily sanity as it were. _Ha, got one down, asshole! Your scent won't catch me off guard again!_

The second sentence was easier to decode because it was somewhat connected to the first. With the absence of his damnable addictive scent a confrontation would not involve her losing her head when she needed it most. There would be_ no _distraction concerning scent. But that wasn't all of it. Humans didn't have strong senses and that included their sense of smell; the second sentence couldn't be only talking about controlling scent.

In reading something so utterly foreign and new Jillian was now _aware_ of her own lack of knowledge in the field of _intimacy_. Which meant she was at a disadvantage no matter what she did. It was simple common sense that told Jillian that Law knew way more about this subject than she did, he was human after all.

_Fuck!_

She'd have to be wary of that knowledge now. Extremely wary. She'd already had a taste of his superior skill and she _did not _want another spoonful. Jillian sneered at no one in particular. _See if I ever get drunk near humans again! _She wouldn't give him ground to control _anything!_

The third sentence was the most disturbing to Jillian. Why? Because it added more weight to the fact that Law held a certain power over her. The mistake at the bar only proved that he was more than capable of acting on his prior knowledge _ruthlessly_. And now the arrogant son of a bitch knew her…erotic stimuli…and turn-ons.

Spirits, that sounded _so_ wrong!

Jillian could not stem the feelings of disgust at the two alien terms. They were completely loathsome in Jillian's mind. Hell, the _man_ was completely loathsome! Growing flustered Jillian snapped the book shut and pushed it away. She'd had enough of revolting facts and ideas for one night…or was it day?

The Hellfire sighed tiredly, eyes going half-mast. It wouldn't take much…just to…close them…

_WAKE UP!_

Blue-teal eyes slammed opened at the mental shout and stayed open. She _could not _fall asleep. Not unless she wanted another- _Stop, right there! No more thinking! _

To shake any sleepiness away Jillian jumped to her feet and ignoring the pile of books summoned her wings and flew away.

She'd go search for Liberty; the Tri-horn was probably somewhere in the trees.

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Grey eyes opened slowly, the tinge of sleep in them disappearing within an instant. They slanted to the side and stared; dark anticipation smoldered in the depths of Trafalgar Law's eyes.

The Vivre card.

It sat so innocently on his bedside table, a perfect square of paper, moving…

It was moving…erratically.

Law watched it closely, his gaze swimming with unreadable emotion. _What was Miss Jillian doing so late at night?_

Right...up...down...left...down...up...up...

Interesting. Could it be that Miss Jillian had been visited by another nightmare?

Grey eyes narrowed at the thought. His wyvern seemed to have quite the irregular sleep schedule. Something he would remedy when she became a permanent member; he wouldn't allow any form of self-harm to befall his crew, and that included blotched slumber. If Jillian was avoiding sleep then he would just have to give her something else to dream about.

A slow smile curved Law's lips.

Privately, the Surgeon of Death wondered what she had thought during those first moments of wakefulness. Did she remember anything at all? It was a question that ate at his thoughts since leaving her at The Rusty Boot. Twice he had stopped, twice he had opened himself up to doubts and that mental whisper of _take her, take her, take her._

But he had persevered through the onslaught, had walked back to his sub without halting a third time. He'd allow nothing to interfere with his game. And what a game it was. Grey eyes darkened with black ardor. He'd win too. This game Jillian participated in, though she remained unaware of it. He'd win and after…

_No,_ Law thought calmly. _Now was not the time to visualize the result._

This was an opponent worthy of his attention, he would not insult her by underestimating her intelligence. Hence, the _game_; the idea had formed within the chaos of Grove 12, the Pacifista battle. That confrontation had taught him many things about Sonneillon B. Jillian. The meeting at the bar, Law smirked at the memory, had only compounded his growing analysis of her character.

A character that had _ensnared_ him; she possessed an enigmatic air about her, a shroud of unfathomable mystery that drew his intellectual mind like bees to honey. How could anyone, pirate or not, be blind enough to _not _pursue such a valuable creäture. They were all fools, and Law would claim the prize before any of them came to their senses.

What a day that would be when they came to realize their lost opportunity. Oh the _satisfaction_ he would feel at seeing the dismay on their faces, the utter desolation at seeing his new acquisition. _His. _

And she would be his; bent or broken, it was her choice whether he used force or not. Though, her defeat was inevitable, it would be amusing to see her struggle. Then he could use _other_ means of subjugation. Grey eyes gleamed with something dark and twisted, a glimpse of_ why _he was called the Dark Doctor. Law held many desires: conquest, supremacy, power,_ knowledge_…

Sonneillon B. Jillian would contribute to that knowledge. The game that had struck him like an epiphany during the Pacifista fight was simple; some called it reconnaissance, others exploration, or even_ fishing_. He planned to do all three with a side of amusement, of course. Which explained his actions the other night…

It was just a sense, a mere flicker of conjecture, that somehow Jillian was conscious of his words. _Come morning, Miss Jillian, I will__ find __you. _This theory solidified when he'd returned the next morning to find the room conspicuously empty. His mind had latched on to the fact that any_ normal _person would still be in bed stricken with a severe case of hangover. Ruminating over the discovery had brought about an unexpected find.

If Miss Jillian was gone, therefore not suffering the ill-effects of alcohol, then could it be possible that she was aware of his challenge. The speculation on the matter had deepened Law's boundless wellspring of curiosity; the need for more knowledge. Because knowledge was power and Law searched for it just as he searched for One Piece.

To say Law _wasn't _eager to test his theory on whether Jillian remembered or not was a fools statement. Once that piece of paper stopped moving the game would be on and with the ball in Jillian's court the next moves were sure to open new doors and mysteries for Law to unveil. Sonneillon B. Jillian was a creäture of secrets, of hidden facets, and facades.

He would rip them all away, slowly, carefully, till he knew _everything_.

With that thought Law closed his eyes and returned to sleep that smile of silk and shadow looming on his face.

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Skulley J. Liberty sat or rather _slouched_ over the bar top in Shakky's Rip Off bar. Eyes glazed over with the buzz of rare Pinot Noir wine. While she didn't hit the hard liquor like Jillian did certain situations called for the occasional indulgence.

_Aka certain assholes!_

The restless shifting of instinct cleaved through the vapid backdrop of her hazed mind. Even six glasses of wine wasn't enough to drown out _the incident_. Hopefully, the seventh or eighth would do the trick. Lib groaned miserably. The world sucked._ The world can go fuck a tree!_

No, that wasn't right…

While the world did suck she wasn't really angry with it now; it was _Kid_ who could go fuck a tree! Wait, no…the tree would surely be traumatized if that…that _asshat _came near it. _That poor victimized tree! Oh damn! Damn, shit, fuck, fire! No! Argh!_

The Tri-horn stared, conflicted and distraught, into her wine glass; it had gone so well too! She'd been forgetting the situation and now… _It's a bust, ugh! Why her,_ why_ him? I mean, yeah, he's hot and he's got abs to die for but __really! __Does he have to freaking pin me and- and_…_do all that human stuff!?_

A grimace stole over Lib's face at her thoughts. Human stuff, indeed. Unbidden, the memory of the evening resurfaced from where she'd drowned it under a wine induced haze. Wine could only hold off memory for so long, after all. It was with a distressed cry that a deluge of images collapsed upon her mind; Liberty had been so set on forgetting the incident that she'd failed to anticipate one little flaw.

Her attention span.

The brain within her skull was fickle with its defenses, therefore it was only a matter of time before _certain subjects _escaped their mental cages. Which Lib was totally unprepared for. And like the normal spaztastic Skulley J. Liberty she _freaked out_.

If the Tri-horn had possessed even one-tenth of her composure she would've been utterly thankful that no one (Shakky had been absent when she'd barged in) was around to see her breakdown.

In the heart of said breakdown…

Fear.

_Fear. Fear. Fearfearfearfearfear._

Sitting there, heavily buzzed, and limp with confusion and terror, Lib felt the firestorm that raged inside her. Fear against instinct. Instinct against fear. Her emotional being was unbalanced, thrown by the actions of a mere _human. _Actions she didn't understand, actions that scared her to the point of _drinking_ herself into a daze.

Liberty didn't drink, didn't_ like _to drink. Yet, here she was happily gulping down glasses to drown out-

_Fear._

It was like a tightly wound coil beneath her skin, every muscle and contour of her body, tense with the Godforsaken emotion. But she couldn't help it. She didn't have the control Jillian had, nor half as much _want_ to possess such a skill. It came with such a steep, terrible price.

So she sat, drank, and hoped to the Spirits that forgetfulness was within her power.

It wasn't.

"Why won't you leave me alone, you fucking bastard," Lib's voice croaked out hoarsely. The empty room gave no reply to her despaired groan.

The play of devilish scenes continued across her mind's eye.

**Crack!**

Liberty pried her eyes off the rough wood of the bar to look at her wine glass. Or what was_ left _of it anyway. Pieces, it was in pieces. Sharp shards of glass clung to her hand along with leftover wine. It was quite the mess; Lib couldn't foster enough gumption to care. Shakky wouldn't miss one stupid wine glass. It was ironic though, the sight of the broken glass resembled her lack of stability.

She wasn't whole like the glass should be, like _she _should be. With this fear running wild inside of her there would be no solace, no calm. And. She. Could. _Not_. Stand. It. Something, maybe her new-found instinct, urged her to be angry at her reaction. Angry at _him_. The urge was there, yes, and yet she shied away from it. It was wholly irrational, this sense of trepidation towards her own instincts. Towards _herself_.

Though, it was all too appropriate for the situation. If only Lib knew that.

Skulley J. Liberty_ was _angry. Oh was she angry; fury _swamped_ her even now. But it was funneled by frustration and confusion so acute it was devastating. Why? Because the two emotions created_ fear_; a fear that had Lib's heart jerking, lungs gasping, and mind splintering at the thought of Eustass "Captain" Kid.

It wasn't just him, though.

_Actions._

_(Lib's mind crashed and burned at the sudden explosion of heat searing through her body. All from the contact of their bodies. Their hips to be precise. Her body trembled more when said contact intensified and Lib let out a moan._

_His hips snapped forward again, Lib gasping at the feel of his…hardness. This was so wrong. But it felt so—)_

And _her_ reactions.

If Liberty could cringe any more she would have. _Shut up brain! Shut up! ARGH! _In an effort to quell her stubborn train of thought Lib smacked her forehead against the bar. Repeatedly.

The images, the fear, all of it refused to fade. It continued to sear and burn her insides, her sanity. _Damn you, Kid! Damn you to _**_Verdaron!_**

Brown-teal eyes suddenly went half-lidded; she was overcome by an unexpected bout of exhaustion. The force of it broadsided her emotions, draining them till they were weak and muted. Gradually, the stress, the anxiety, the confusion, and mostly the fear bowed to the sudden drop in adrenaline. A major energy drop as Jillian would call it. Now if only she could find a nice bed of gold to sleep on; her life would be complete with a bed of warm gold. Spirits, she wanted her lair!

And _her_ pile of precious metals. Human beds could never hope to compare! Not to mention her tunnels! Spirits, she missed those too! The warmth that was always present because of the volcanic fumes and heat, oh, it was to _die_ for! Liberty sighed tiredly at the thought; the sound was tinged with longing.

And her dog. She missed her dog most of all, well, besides her best friend. Honey was her name and she was the sweetest thing on four legs. It brought a sense of sadness to the Tri-horn at the thought of not having her cuddle-buddy. Jillian wasn't known for her touchy feely personality. She'd be sleeping alone for the first time in centuries. Lib knew it was dangerous to sleep alone but, at least, she didn't have Jillian's problem. Though, that just made her feel anxious.

Jillian absolutely could not sleep alone. _Okay, I need to sleep! Sleep, sleep, sleep!_

She couldn't worry for Jillian right now. Her best friend was strong, maybe not as strong as she used to be, but she would avoid sleep somehow. And hopefully, when _she_ woke up all the chaos in her _ridiculous_ mind would be gone like a Grand line storm. With that thought Liberty stumbled off the high chair (nearly falling on her face several times) and up the stairs to the guest bedroom.

While the wine sucked at drowning out thoughts of Kid it worked wonders on drowning her consciousness. Liberty was asleep before her head hit the mattress.

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_Something deep inside of me knew I was dreaming. This wasn't the real world; there were too many…humans around. _

_How I've ended up in this dimly lit lounge with a horde of humans is anyone's guess, but I'm here. Sadly, Jillian is absent which heightens my discomfort. I don't like parties, not really, not unless I'm with my friends. _

_The strangers are dressed in rich finery and yet they don't seem to notice that I'm in my borrowed clothes and cloak. Maybe they don't care? Though, when I pass a group of young people, the men all stare at me in awe while the women sneer jealously. Huh?_

_Why are they all staring at me! __I'm __not all fancy!_

_Confused and just a tad bit irked, I glance down to find that I'm no longer in my jeans, shirt, and cloak. What the hell? I'm wearing a long, maroon dress. Holy porcupine balls! It's __gorgeous __and one of my favorite colors to boot. I look awesome! Not only that but its one of those dresses that float above of the floor; a dress fit for a ball. Puffy, off the shoulder, corset, and with little flower embellishments on the front._

_Oh blech!_

_No wonder they were all staring. My hair wasn't covered by the cloak anymore and, well, the dress_…

_Why am I dreaming this? The question echoes around the room but only I seem to be able to hear it. The chinking of glasses, light gossip, and lofty pissing contests continue uninterrupted. Stupid rich flunkies! Why don't you go put your money on something worth while for a change! Gah!_

_Rolling my eyes at the scene I intend to walk myself straight out of this waste of a dream. Couldn't I dream of something a little more exciting? Like oceans, beaches, and skippers! Oooh and secretary birds! That would be an awesome dream to hav_—

_"Liberty." I freeze. My eyes take in everything in the room, people, attire, exits, decorations, lighting, but I'm not seeing any of it, because that voice is too familiar, too dangerous, too attractive! It belongs to __him. __I can't help but swallow my tongue; he said my name! Oh God! Oh Spirits! Oh whatever! Just shit, fuck, fire! He never says, __has__ never said, my name!_

_And what's worse_…_I can feel my cheeks flush. Damn blushing! Damn it to Verdaron!_

_My heart is seriously bruising my ribcage when I decide to (reluctantly) turn around. It's not safe giving __anyone__ your back. Ever swallowed your tongue before? No? Probably because you haven't seen something shocking enough. Or hot enough_…

_Yeah, Kid_…_looks devastatingly good in a tux. Oh my God! I can't __not__ think he is sexy beyond all sense. Holy shit!_

_Holy shit is right. He's staring-_

_At me._

_Spirits just kill me now! I will go willingly!_

_"W-what are you doing here?"_

_There is no reply from the dangerous Supernova. It has my adrenaline spiking, instincts riling at the charged silence. Not even a knife could cut this one. I swallow thickly; it doesn't help. With those penetrating red eyes on me I don't think anything could help me. _

_"I'm here, bitch, because you want me here."_

_What? _

_How eloquent Lib! It takes a minute or two to regain some semblance of calm before I can meet those eyes again. _

_"Hell no, I don't!" I spit with as much hostility as possible. It's hard when you feel like running and screaming. _

_I am going to die! Kid has a horrible temper! Bloodthirsty bastard!_

_There is, surprisingly, no outburst of anger, no explosion of rage from the red-haired pirate captain. He only raises an eyebrow. "I wouldn't be here, dragon, if you didn't."_

_Dark amusement laces his tone. It fuels the spark of my ire. Even if he did look hot in his suit- No! Don't even think about it! Distract! I need a distraction! Where is Jillian when you need her! Argh!_

_I scoff at his statement a moment later. Really! He's really gonna try to pass that __bullshit __with me! Ha! Yeah right! Over my dead body! I do my best to glare at him like he's an idiot._

_My voice is lashing and scornful, "As if I'd __want__ to see__ your __ugly backside after what happened!" This sentence opens up the floodgates of frustration and anger and it's not long until I'm ranting at the injustice of it all._

_I am so immersed within my mental dream rant that I fail to notice the predator approaching. The large rough hand that falls on my bare shoulder has me shrieking in fright. _

_How the hell did he get so damn close!? Oh damn it all! I suck at scenting!_

_Kid is right in front of me, jacket open at the collar, giving me just a taste of what I know to be underneath. Bad Lib, bad! Look away! If I thought my initial scare was bad enough its nothing compared to when I feel him against my ear_…_again! _

_Oh Spirits!_

_"You enjoyed it didn't you, bitch." Not a question. The arrogant bastard states it like a fact. Asshole!_

_Hell no!_

_"What do you want, Kid?" I snap, a glimpse of my temper bleeding through. This man! One word: a pain in the ass! Okay, that wasn't one word but whose counting! _

_"You." He says simply; the glint lurking behind dark red eyes is unsettling. How could __anyone__ meet those pools of blood and fire? My gaze stays riveted over his shoulder. Staring at the wall was healthier than staring into Kid's heavy glare._

_"I'm not joining you stupid crew!" Was he deaf! How many times would I have to tell him "No!" _

_The smirk I see in my peripheral is just another blow to my composure. It's something to be seen in nightmares when the mugger finally gets you, or the rapist corners you. I shiver. Not a good visual, Lib!_

_"You know what," Kid says, lips still smirking, "We can stand around and argue about the inevitable or we can get down to the fucking point."_

_Warily, "What__ is __you point, asshat?"_

_I don't get an answer. Not a verbal one, anyway, because apparently show, not tell, is Kid's way of making points. One moment we're standing in the middle of the lounge, me glaring at him, him smirking up a storm with his hand on my shoulder, and the next he's using that hand to pull me in for a, well, a kiss. _

_The urgent and forceful and I-want-to-rip-your-clothes-off way of kissing. Not like I know that though._

_What I do know is that I should be angry, enraged even. I should be struggling, fighting, and screaming. I'm not. A part of me is wondering where the hell that new instinct is. Where was the surge of animalistic wrath when I needed it! But there is nothing, no stirring of violence or hate or rage. Nothing. Not even panic._

_Nor fear._

…_I was enjoying it._

_What? Oh no! Nonononononono!_

_I have to pull away! Rip his hands off my waist and stab him with a poisoned needle! Gouge his eyes out with a wooden spoon! __Anything__ to get away from his lips, his heat,__ him! __But it feels so good_…

_The taste of him is beyond words just as the act itself is. Like spice! Hot, heated spice! The kind that has me craving for that slow burn in my mouth that stays for days. It's like a fire has ignited inside of me, destroying any thought of rebellion. The sensation is too addictive for me to ignore. So I don't resist when he pulls me closer, nor do I pull away when his mouth moves from mine so that he can start a trail of kisses and bites from my jaw line down to my throat or when he backs me up against the wall._

_Moans._

_Gyrating movements._

_Gasps._

_The body pressing against me is hard, firm, and masculine. The urge to reach out and touch Kid is overwhelming; I don't fight it. My hands mirror his in their quest of mapping curves and angles. Every touch of rough, heavy hands heightens the fire underneath my skin; the pool of coiled heat in my belly tightens._

_I cry out at the sensation. It is_…_God, I don't even know what to call it!_

_My mind is a mass of jellied fog, filled with incoherent mumbles of encouragement, and little else. Sense, logic, and instinct have flown out the window against such an intense wildfire. Kid is playing me like a finely tuned harmonica. As long as he doesn't stop I could care less._

_Lips are by my ear and I gasp when those same lips open and taste and lick. Spirits, it feels so good. Then there is a voice, low and_…_menacing?_

_Caressing hands suddenly become cold and bone-like. Dead. _

_"Say it. Say '__I'm sorry, captain__!'" A hiss._

_I look up because that voice isn't Kid's._

_The flash of purple sends me screaming into black oblivion._

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Shakky sauntered up the massive staircase leading up to her beloved bar with an amiable air. It had been a good day, especially for meeting new pirate crews. The ex-pirate smiled cryptically; she hoped the Strawhats went far. They definitely possessed the determination and resolve for such a challenge. The New World did not suffers fools or weaklings. The Strawhats, thank the Gods, were neither.

_The hat of Roger rests in good hands, _Shakky thought sagely.

It had been several hours ago that Rayleigh had unexpectedly barged into her cozy little bar with the notorious Strawhats in tow. Official introductions were given, conversations and explanations among them, along with multiple questions. Many of which involved two MIA dragons; what friends_ wouldn't _be worried when a comrade went missing for over three days? With all that had happened at the auction house it was_ no wonder _hell was raining down on Sabaody Archipelago. An abundance of marine activity all over the island had forced Luffy and his crew into hiding. It was only smart when talk of Warlords and Admirals whispered from all corners of the lawless grove. So the Strawhats laid low and waited, however impatiently for the storm to blow over.

It did…eventually. Shakky smiled at the remembrance; being around that crew when they were holed up had been wrought with lots of saké, pillow fights, and general acts of boredom, cabin fever, and - unsurprisingly - more boredom. But the heat and panic triggered by the chaos of the auction house incident cooled down soon enough and it wasn't long before the rowdy Strawhat crew was biting at the bit of adventure. They were a very loud crew, especially when they wanted something. If Rayleigh hadn't been such an understanding old goat she would've been worried when Luffy all but shoved him out the door. To say Luffy was eager to get his ship coated was a gross (and dangerous) understatement.

Cabin fever had _not _been kind to the hyper rookie. Though, one thing was for certain, the Strawhat vessel was definitely a beauty. Shakky had, of course, gone with the crew to their ship; she was curious as talk of the famous Sunny had surfaced in many conversations. And looking upon it for the first time, Shakky had not been disappointed for The Thousand Sunny was a ship worthy of the New World. It would serve them well and keep them safe. The New World was not a kind place.

Now she was returning to her establishment for some rest and refreshments. She also had to restock her fridge.

The sight that met her gaze immediately had her stopping, senses alert and straining. Her front door was ajar and she was positive she'd locked it before leaving. Marines didn't bother to come this far into the lawless grove and her name was known among the regulars who lingered in Sabaody Archipelago. Shakky slowly moved to her door and pushed it open. There was no movement inside. No enemy, no intruder, no one.

Her senses sharpened.

The ex-pirate entered cautiously and glanced around. Everything seemed to be in order. Bottles of grog were still present, furniture whole and untouched, windows unbroken, chairs unmoved and- Wait a minute! _There._

A cloak lay haphazardly on one of her high chairs. And the wine…

_How had she missed it?_

She walked over to the bottle and noticed the shards of what used to be one of her wine glasses. There was glass everywhere. But who…?

Shakky stared at the bottle intently, something was nagging her. Dark eyes widened a moment later.

The evidence was too incriminating.

_Pinot Noir._

She kept that brand for only one person.

One _dragon_ she should say.

Shakky relaxed her tense posture; she was glad that such a good day wasn't ruined by nefarious idiots. With the threat of intrusion past the bartender leisurely made her way behind the bar, Liberty was probably on the second floor somewhere. Napping in one of the guest bedrooms probably. The Tri-horn had been delighted at the thought of sleeping in a human bed again when she'd visited earlier.

The ex-pirate wonders—

The piercing cry of terror that cracks across Shakky's hearing is _deafening._

She is already running before the screaming stops.

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There was another presence…on the second floor.

The feel and sense of it left her bones cold and her mind frigid. Shakky couldn't stop the shudder as waves of malevolence washed over her; it was an evil sick sensation that had nausea swimming through her head. But when she opened the only closed door in the hall it vanished and left nothing but disturbia, silence, and the memory of cold, cold _evil. _The worry she felt for her non-human friend, so innocent in the ways of being human, weighed heavily on her tense shoulders.

Would she find evidence of an intruder in the room? Such a malicious presence could never belong to a marine or even a pirate. Yet, when Shakky burst into the room and glanced around all she found was a restless Liberty.

A sweaty, grimacing Liberty.

Bad dream.

The scream had been from a bad dream?

The ex-pirate paused before the bed as the pieces in her mind crumbled. She was sure she'd sensed someone here right before she opened the door. But Liberty wasn't awake nor was she screaming at someone because they'd disturbed her sleep. There was no one in the room but her. Confusion fell thick on her mind followed closely with incomprehension. The scream, the unknown presence, the bad dream, all of it boggled her. Shakky had never known Lib to suffer from nightmares. Ever.

She had the feeling that there was a connection between them all. But the _how_ eluded her understanding and she backed off slowly. Shakky was well-versed in things that held no easy explanation. Though, she was finding this situation testing her composure way more than it should.

Only because the memory of brittle cold left a foreboding tattoo on her mind that she could not shake.

Skulley J. Liberty woke to a warm hand on her forehead. The shock of it left her gasping and mumbling, "Jillian?" Hope rose steadily in her veins; her partner-in-crime was—

"Not quite, Lib." Shakky.

If Liberty had been standing she would've slumped over sideways. _Damn._ Jillian was still missing. The hope receded quickly with that realization leaving Lib feeling very small and strangely hysterical. The odd swell of emotion bubbled up from deep inside her; an unrelenting gulf filled with bereft sorrow and loneliness. The Tri-horn wyvern shifted uncomfortably at the painful twinging in her chest. It was an all too familiar feeling; she'd felt it for centuries.

Then it stopped. Vanished. And something else, something hot and provocative, took over. Like sunlight on the skin the feeling seemed to sink in through her pores, streaks of heated poison attacking her system sending pangs of rolling, flipping fire through her veins. The intensity of it nearly had Lib gasping but she choked back the sound, choked back the emotion for which she had no name.

What did one call this sensation of heat and fire, this utterly delicious but _intrusive_ feeling; it was like she was unnerved by her own skin.

Liberty opened her eyes to find Shakky sitting on the edge of her bed. The bartender seemed…tense. _Why?_ But she knew the answer. It lingered within her subconscious, unwanted and loud, like an ugly scar that refused to fade. She could never hope to ignore such a mark. At least, not when it involved her own body. Then the full recollection of what lurked in her memory sank in. She was still feeling the effects of the dream…

_Oh. My. Fucking. Spirits! Shit, fuck, fire! Shit, fuck, fire! Shit, fuck, fire!_

Shakky could only stare in bewildered silence as something seemed to seize Liberty. She'd never seen the Gifted react this way towards _anything. _

The Tri-horn let out a strangled shriek and would've rolled off the bed had Shakky not been sitting right in her path. Lib released another squall of frustrated shock and clutched at her hair at the _utter injustice _of her _nightmare. _It just wasn't _fair! _How could _she_…? No! She didn't, _she didn't_, it didn't happen, there was _no_ _way_, she wouldn't do_ that_, not with him, she wouldn't, she _wouldn't! _This- this was insane! By the Four Spirits!

_He was __human!_

She could feel a scream of hysteria coalescing in the back of her throat. Too quickly for Shakky to really understand what she was doing Lib rolled over, stuffed her face into the pillow, and muffled the screech of a thousand crazed banshee's. It was a long shout of emotion, mixed and jumbled emotion that stabbed at Liberty's composure because it was emotion that made her _hot. _Ugly, unfamiliar emotion. Bad, tainted, and evil!

And while Lib absolutely _loved _the heat _this_ type was definitely forbidden. Peccant. Dangerous. Abominable! From the depths of Verdaron. _All of the above! _When the muffled screaming died down the toxicologist slumped limply over the bed, vocal cords raw and exhausted. Hell, she was exhausted. Feeling very vulnerable at the moment, Lib whimpered.

It was too much._ He _was too much! _Why can't you just leave me alone! _And after what he pulled too, the bastard! It just made her dream seem all the more blasphemous! Liberty groaned and gibbered miserably. And if that wasn't bad enough she was still feeling_ him! _

His touch, his taste, his scent; God his _taste_, it was_ pure sin_. The taste of him still lingered on her tongue like a whisper of heaven, or hell. And his hands, _ohh his hands _were devious weapons against her novice body. She could, with exact detail, remember every plane of skin his fingers and palms had traversed. Every trail of fire he left seared her virginal mentality, and she was loath to even admit that she'd played the part of willing participant.

And she had been willing, not at first, but Kid had soundly ensnared her with his dastardly actions. Why was there no retaliation on her part, no moves of resistance, or even words of spite? What was wrong with her? _I am completely, utterly, irrevocably stupid! _But Liberty knew the answer, well, the logical one born from her own perception of the events. Skulley J. Liberty only knew so much about humans, after all.

It was his scent. It had to be! There was no other possible reason for her bout of…crazed insanity. The right scent to a Gifted was like the fabled ambrosia of the Gods, it captured the senses and weaved passion so intense most dragons became drunk off it. Eustass "Captain" Kid, unfortunately, had a very -_ no, he doesn't! -_ delicious scent. It was like the potent mix of spices that burnt the tongue and scorched the mouth. _Oh God! Shut up! Shut up, shut up, __shut up! _

The images that suddenly assaulted Lib had her in near convulsions. Denial, shock, fear, and yet more denial followed closely behind the attack and she couldn't help the groan of misery that slipped past her lips. _Damn dream, damn Kid, damn him and his- his- Gah!_

The sound was completely pathetic. It was a hopeless, helpless, on-the-end-of-my-rope sound that tugged at Shakky's heartstrings. The bartender, feeling concerned, instantly placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. There was no yelp of surprise. No exclamation of shock. No usual reaction. Something had seriously rattled Liberty to the point where her fundamental reactions were being ignored.

The bubbly dragon she'd known for decades was now reduced to a ball of shivering uncertainty. "Lib, what's wrong?"

The voice was soft and coaxing, tinged with a familiarity that was safe in Liberty's overtaxed mind. She used those three words as a focal point for her sanity. It helped as a distraction from the heat, from the memory. From the touch of rough hands, and dark lips.

…_What's wrong_…_?_

"Me!" Shakky frowned in confusion at the shouted word. What did she mean by 'me'? Was something wrong with her? Did it involve the bad dream? Most likely. "What's wrong with you? Is it because of the dream you had?" murmured Shakky calmly.

Cue more groaning and general 'my-life-sucks-right-now' mumbles.

Liberty rolled over slowly and opened both teal-brown eyes to look at her old friend. Maybe she could help explain what the hell was going on. Maybe…The Gifted let loose a tortured sigh, took a deep breath and muttered, "_Him! __He's_ what's wrong with me! _Argh_, I can't get him outta my head! I can't get what he did outta my mind! And my body feels all hot and…and my navel…hurts like someone's twisting something in it and it _won't_ stop! It only worsens every time I see or think about that stupid asshat! He _did_ something! He…he bewitched me! _Because of him _I had that _stupid dream_ and I, well, I_– _damn it, he made me enjoy it!"

Shakky blinked.

And blinked.

And blinked some more.

She was…

A hand rose to cover Shakky's mouth but the soft laugh echoed easily.

Liberty had a sexual dream.

The whole thing suddenly seemed funny and completely ironic. Of course, Lib would freak out over something so natural. So normal. But it was interesting; she wondered who'd caught this woman's eye.

"Why are you laughing! This isn't a laughing matter, Shakky! He _did_ something; I need a cure!" wailed the teal-haired woman loudly. The expression of desperate aggravation coupled with Lib's best puppy dog eyes drew more laughter from the bartender. She couldn't help herself; someone had caught Liberty's eye which meant arousal and daydreaming would come into play. In the four decades or so that she'd known the Wyvern Sisters never had she seen the two caught up in the world of attraction. They'd always been focused on their quest for vengeance.

Wait a minute.

Was Liberty freaking out because she had a sexual dream or because she didn't know what a sexual dream meant? The laughter stopped abruptly. Over the many years Shakky had to deal with several cultural differences about the Wyvern Sisters. Some issues were small and easy to deal with while others were very peculiar and strange to her human sensibilities. Could it be possible that Liberty wasn't aware of her own attraction? Surely the Gifted had their own feminine teachings on sexuality?

Was it possible that Liberty and Jillian had left their home before they could learn such notions? If so, then why?

Questions that Shakky had ignored in respect for the two best friends abruptly made themselves known. She knew for a fact that there was scores more on the past of Skulley J. Liberty and Sonneillon B. Jillian. Both her and Rayleigh only knew what the two dragons were willing to give and in all actuality her knowledge of the Gifted only went as far as factual.

Shakky really knew nothing of their past, not their true past beyond the time when they'd first made themselves known to the world. Did she want to pry? No, as long as she found out why Lib was freaking out and why her past didn't, shouldn't, matter. Shakky always lived in the now and she wouldn't quit over a passing curiosity of Liberty's life. Right then, Shakky needed to clarify what had Lib so distraught; she wouldn't worry about past events that weren't her business in the first place.

All mirth left the bartenders face, a rather serious expression taking its place. She smiled calmly and felt warmth in her chest when the Tri-horn seemed to quiet. Brown-teal eyes became less wild and fearful as they watched her, waiting for her to speak.

And speak she did, "I'm sorry for laughing, though I was not laughing at you, but more so on the situation as a whole," Lib huffed cantankerously at the explanation but remained silent, "Have you ever heard of a sexual dream?" The wide-eyed shock Shakky saw in Liberty's expression was more answer than a verbal one could ever give. The ex-pirate found it highly comical.

When the dragon was not forthcoming with a response Shakky continued, "A sexual dream happens when attraction awakens, it is usually triggered by someone we find arousing or in other words handsome. Sexual dreams can also be brought on by the recollection of an arousing event in the subconscious mind…"

"Wait, hold on," Liberty interrupted with a squawk, "you keep saying arousing and I don't _know_ what that means! A _sexual_ dream! Hell no! I…I didn't have one of…those. And I am not attracted to that bastard!"

The sheer amount of denial and gnashed out hate didn't faze Shakky, though she was surprised that Liberty, for being as old as she was, lacked so much knowledge concerning the workings of sexuality. Had no one taught her about arousal and sex; it would seem so. The poor woman didn't even know what she was feeling, or even going through.

Shakky sighed quietly, thinking of how to word arousal to her friend, "Arousal, Lib, is when the body feels desire and want toward someone. Say for instance a woman sees a man she finds to be handsome, the woman may become aroused by his looks, voice, or body." The bartender halted her explanation upon seeing the look of pure horror taking over Liberty's face. Her features were lacking in color as well.

"…So…I am…_possibly_ a-aroused by Ki-… someone that I find…attractive?" Lib's voice was so wrought with disbelief and abhorrence that all Shakky could do was stare. She also did not fail to catch the slip up in the middle of her confession. Nor did the name elude her sharp mind either.

Kid. Eustass "Captain" Kid.

Liberty found the top Supernova attractive, and apparently enough to the point of triggering a sexual dream about him. The bartender wondered if the captain knew, or if they'd had a confrontation that had started it all. One thing was for certain, whatever she had said had definitely shed some light for Lib if her words and expression was anything to go by.

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Skulley J. Liberty wanted to die.

Crawl under a rock. Be stoned to death. Get hit by a comet. _Anything! _But no, the words whirling around in her head wouldn't shut up, words given to her by the ever wise, and ever cool Shakky. Her old friend had been kind enough to explain what was happening to her. Though, she almost wished she hadn't. Sometimes ignorance_ was _bliss and Lib regretted not keeping it.

Damn her Sweetling (1) curiosity! Damn it! Couldn't her genes be anything but the dragon known for its curious nature. _Argh! _Curiosity definitely killed_ this _cat! Err, dragon. Liberty rolled over on the bed and groaned. This wasn't fair! She couldn't be…aroused by that brute of a man. That violent monster! There just was no way!

The dream was too much evidence, too obvious in its meaning. Shakky's explanation had finally given words to describe the heat pooling in her gut; it was arousal. She was attracted by Kid!

It sounded _so_ wrong. So wrong in fact that Lib couldn't really believe it. Denial still bared its fangs in the wake of fact. And like the runner Lib was she grabbed on to that denial and held tight. She _was_ _not_ attracted, couldn't_ possibly _be attracted, to that beast! Yeah, his body was hot but Lib had found other humans…attractive before. He wasn't the only one!

_Nope, no he isn't!_

Feeling suddenly safe in knowing her body hadn't turned traitor, as well as safe in the knowledge of her denial, Liberty calmed and settled back on the bed with a small smile of content.

She _wasn't_ attracted to Kid. God, she loved saying it. Repeating it made her believe it even more.

She wasn't attracted to Kid.

She wasn't attracted to Kid.

She wasn't attracted to Kid.

_Hell yeah! I'm not attracted to that bastard! Whoop, whoop!_

While Jillian's face-it-head-on approach forced her into a hyper-irritated mindset, Lib had the more pound-it-into-the-ground-with-denial sort of approach that was perfect for her lack of want to deal with anything too disturbing. But it did have one little flaw; never did an obstacle involve fighting her own body.

A sudden delicate clearing of a throat brought Liberty out of her 'victory thinking' and into the present. She focused her attention on a strangely serious Shakky.

"There is one more thing I need to tell you…"

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Frustration, agitation, and confusion whirled around Sonneillon B. Jillian's mind. The three confounding emotions had merged together to create one big ball of peeved incomprehension that sat like tar in her belly. The tension that exuded from the Hellfire would've disturbed the common people had they been present. But as it was Jillian was far above them at the moment, narrowed eyes seething with suppressed turmoil, and lips curled in a nasty snarl. The Gifted wasn't amused at all.

After her disturbing trip to the Central Library Jillian had focused her attention on reuniting with Liberty. Upon exiting the old building she'd turned her trusty nose to the wind to start her search. At the time Jillian had been rather confident about finding her best friend before dusk. The Hellfire prided herself in possessing a keen sense of smell, however, the search slowly turned into a wild goose chase that (surprisingly) tested the long rope of Jillian's patience.

Of course, the reason for her _im_patience could very well be placed with her _male problem. _Though, she would never admit it verbally or even mentally to herself. It was something she'd rather put out of her mind for the time being and distract herself with the chase. And it was a chase, indeed. By mid-afternoon Jillian had traveled through five groves which had given her nose nothing but an obscure whiff of her best friend. It was almost like the scent was ghostly, one minute it was there and then it was gone, it was frustrating to lose a trail so many times over. At least, for Jillian; in having such a refined nose losing a trail was nigh impossible for a Gifted. Not even a dog had a keener nose. Which gave Jillian amble reason to be frustrated out of her mind.

Now she sat, weary and uncommonly irked, on the rooftop of a three-story building. It was a nice little niche she'd found while looking for a good perch. The cover the overhanging eave gave threw her form into shadow, so she could rest without someone seeing her. Running around the whole of the Sabaody Archipelago, even for her, was tiring when so many hostiles were after you. Jillian had lost count at forty-five; seriously, couldn't people give her a break and _not _throw a fit when they spotted her. Thankfully, a quick jab to the Supraclavicular nerve put an abrupt stop to that possible problem.

Jillian didn't need extra attention from the marines. They were already going to bury six of their men by the end of the day because they'd pushed her a little too far with their ignorant _boosting_. She'd felt no remorse in slamming a knuckle into their GV 16 nerve, it was a fun point to press anyway. Watching them convulse due to the pressure of the hit was just a bonus. Jillian was only_ slightly _sadistic.

Cue mental smirk.

Jillian reached up to adjust her hood for better view of the street below, it was positively _crawling_ with humans. She'd been crouching in her niche for nearly ten minutes, nose working feverishly, but still no familiar scent. This marketplace was the last trail and it was already growing cold. Jillian frowned darkly, a spurt of irritation forming in her gut. A cold trail meant she would have to get closer, closer as in _ground_ level. _Yeah for me. I get to go down with all the noise and_…_Ugh!_

Before her mind could supply an excuse Jillian looked to see if the coast was clear, when it was she rose from her crouch and stalked stealthily over the side of the building. Using the many natural shadows thrown by ledges and eaves it was easy for Jillian to navigate herself down into a side alley off the main street she'd been watching. Having a cloak to conceal her _coloring_ only helped matters more. A Gifted in the presence of humans couldn't really blend in; at least, not her, not anymore.

For the marines now knew what she looked like as a human. A furrow of contemplation creased Jillian's brow at that thought. _Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to fly recklessly into Sabaody Archipelago_…_No, that's not right. It is a good thing, just one that came a little too fast. After all, I must have a way to kill hi_—

Jillian was snatched from her line of thought by a rough jostling. Head snapping up, lips about to release a snarl of warning, Jillian choked at the sight of blue and white. Marine. Shit.

And that marine was now offering an apology and a hand. _A bloody hand! _Double shit! If she gave him her hand to keep up the façade he'd immediately feel her claws. He'd immediately know she wasn't some cloaked lady. Feeling cornered, Jillian's overtaxed mind sputtered at the situation, and promptly shut down. Instinct flew into place, survival already moving her body into action.

Like a viper her hand shot out grabbing the marines wrist in a grip that crushed the radius and ulna together. The instant pain from the grinding bones would've sent the private crying had Jillian not rammed her knuckles into his trachea. Any scream or shout from the marine cut off into wet choking and then silence. Jillian didn't stay for the death, no, she was out of that alley before the enemy took his last breath.

Instinct could move someone quite fast but instinct fueled by surprise and panic? Well, nothing could really beat that. Heart pounding thunderously the Hellfire weaved between the masses of the marketplace so fast that no one could register her presence fast enough. Breathing heavily Jillian ducked into the first alley she saw and very nearly collapsed under all the adrenaline.

What was _wrong_ with her!? That was another slip up; she couldn't afford to let her guard down, not when she was basically in unknown hostile territory. What the hell had she been thinking! Actually, that was just it, she'd been _thinking_. And about _that_ no less. _Maybe I have a death wish?_

Stupid question. She _did _have a death wish. Only it would account for something so much more than killing herself. It would… Jillian shook her head with a growl and smacked it into the wall behind her for good measure. There she went again. God, she really needed to focus. _Focus__, damn it! _

Sighing heavily Jillian was startled to hear her stomach moaning in agony because it'd been empty too long. It _had_ been a while since she'd last had a meal. Not since The Rusty Boot. But did she want to run the risk of entering another bar? Was she that daring, or was it pure stupidity?

No, she wouldn't go to a bar for food. She'd find some private restaurant that was small and out-of-the-way of the major populous. Hopefully, the workers would hate the marines too, maybe then she could relax some. Not enough to lower her guard but just enough to release some of the tension in her shoulders. It was growing more than slightly uncomfortable.

From under the shadow of Jillian's hood bright blue-teal eyes watched the mouth of the alley for any spectators. Seeing none the Hellfire allowed the wash of warmth, a prelude to her partial change, to overcome her. The transformation of her arms into her wings was both painful and pleasurable, a sensation too deep and intimate for any human to really understand.

_Thank the Spirits this cloak covers my wings_, thought Sonneillon B. Jillian silently. It felt good to stretch out her carpus and metacarpus, her wings didn't like being stuffed beneath human skin. Snorting, Jillian extended them as best she could in the cramped alley and pushed off with her feet. A few wing-beats was all it took for Jillian to get some good altitude. And to get out of the weak vision of the humans.

Within the air, held safe on high winds, Jillian allowed herself to calm, to truly calm. If only she knew what alley she'd been in and what had happened there not a day earlier.

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

Sonneillon B. Jillian dropped herself into a wrought-iron chair at a cozy, little café in a cluster of shops deep in the lawless groves. The restaurant was a private owned business with two elderly employers; it was the perfect place for her to get a bit to eat, it only served those over forty. And, well, she'd past that age _way_ before anyone in the diner itself was even born so she was definitely allowed.

But the cloak helped her keep up appearances, no one needed to know just how…young looking she was. They'd probably chase her out with pitchforks and not even the wordage "appearances can be deceiving" would save her. So she kept her hood up, groaned like a hag, and wobbled to a seat at the far back. Thankfully, the day had waned in terms of sunlight and heat, not that it bothered her, but people would start looking at you weird when you didn't fit certain social norms. That included wearing less when it was hot and wearing more when it was cold.

The Gifted, depending on their breed, were impervious to most temperatures. Hot, cold, blistering, it didn't matter. But humans were fragile when it came to the weather and bowed to it _every_ time. Jillian grew smug at the thought; Law certainly couldn't handle diving into lava or sleeping in a blizzard. _Ha!_

It was getting close to sunset now as the air was going through its daily change in temperature drop. She could sense the cold that would soon take over when the sun went down, it would be quite breezy during Moon hours. But Jillian wasn't worried about something so _normal_, what she wanted was food.

Her stomach tightened at the thought.

Food wasn't the only reason, though. Surrounded by old people playing chess (there was a chess board at every table) and sitting by herself, Jillian could feel eyes on her, watching, appraising, probing. It had her lips curling back over her teeth in a quiet growl of malcontent. Sonneillon B. Jillian did _not_ like being watched as if she were some _animal_ in an exhibit. If she caught the bastard who found her so _interesting_…

Jillian's clawed hands clenched underneath the cloak. He wouldn't live long that was for sure. _Especially_ if the bastard was in the category of_ hostiles_. Feeling the hairs on the back of her neck prickle at the intensity of the stare had Jillian's stomach flipping uncomfortably. Her instincts didn't like it either; they had been hyper sensitive ever since…_ Yeah_…

Shifting slowly the Hellfire subtly looked around, scanned the crowd. Nothing. _Grr, where are you hiding! _Couldn't she get one little break without the threat of attack!? Jillian huffed irritably and slouched in her chair. Yet, it seemed not even her façade of detachment could quell her uneasiness, after all, the last time she'd ignored someone staring at her had ended_ badly. _And that was putting it simply.

Jillian hoped whoever was watching her so closely would stay the fuck away from her. She also hoped the culprit wouldn't make a scene if he did approach her. The Hellfire scoffed quietly, life _loved_ fucking with her, so if there was even the_ smallest _chance of a confrontation than there would be one. Slouching further in her seat Jillian focused on the chess board in front of her; a distraction would be nice right now, if only she had a partner to play with. Where was Rayleigh when you needed him?

A waiter suddenly appeared at her side, wide smile and sparkling eyes, the whole may-I-help-you shebang. Jillian nearly snarled at the man, a streak of hatred spiking though her well of emotions; the mood of the fool reminded her too much of Liberty…and of the fact that she was still missing. Jillian barely kept her tone cordial when she ordered herself a smoothie. The man whose name was apparently Preston Willings took her order like it was some heavenly blessing; disturbing.

_Why did that conversation involve giving his name? And what type of human names their hatchling Preston!? _Jillian snorted with a sneer. _Well, Preston has to be desperate if he's that __willing__ to flirt with a 'old hag.'_

It hadn't been a solid three minutes before the waiter, Preston Willings frolicked, actually_ frolicked _to her table. Jillian couldn't help but stare. _W-what_…_the __hell! _Preston smiled widely - _creepily! _- at her while setting her desired order down and then he_ didn't leave!_

_What. The. **Hell!**_

Her life, oh how it loved to screw with her, could not have gotten worse.

It got worse. Much worse. The creepy flirt started_ talking to her! _She would've blamed him for the intense probing stare had it stopped as soon as he approached her, but it was still there. Still prickling her skin, still boring into the back of her head. Could she not get a break!? Was the world really that cruel?

_Yes_, her mind whispered.

That was when Jillian noticed the poor sap had spoken to her. _Like I care about your lack of intelligent conversation. _

"…waiting for a partner to join you? Maybe I could wait with you until they come?"

_I would rather skin my hide off with blunt claws than to keep your company! _Jillian sneered at the man from the shadows of her hood, however, her voice came out brittle and raspy, "No thank you, I am alone and would like to enjoy my solitude, young man." _So get the fuck away from me before I send a finger into your Kyosen!(2)_

If Jillian didn't have such refined control over her emotions she would've laughed at the pathetic wilting of the waiter. Now all she had to worry about was that sta_– _Wait it was gone! _Shit! That's either really bad or really good._

In her case…it was most likely really bad.

But nothing happened in those next few minutes. No ambush from the marines, no pirates, no creepy flirts, nothing, nada. Sitting there sipping her strawberry smoothie Jillian waited, and waited, and waited. Ten minutes flew by quietly and slowly, ever so slowly Jillian relaxed enough to lean back into her chair. _Okay, okay, breathe, damn it. Whoever that was is gone now so breathe!_

She wanted another smoothie.

Jillian glared down at her empty glass moodily. Her hidden eyes rose to land on the obnoxious idiot across the patio; the café was an outside eatery, she didn't like being inside, too easy to corner someone. And she would not be _cornered _again. _Hell no!_

Her nose registered the scent of blended strawberries too late.

"Hello, Miss Jillian."

The deep whisper came from behind her, delivered right into her ear. The smooth cool voice echoed in her head and not even sense and instinct could stop the wave of breath-stopping shock that paralyzed her. Jillian should've reacted, should've whipped around with hissing accusations and quick-silver revenge, but she did nothing. All she could really do under such powerful surprise was sit there, frozen, and feel his warm breath ghost down the side of her neck.

Jillian could not stop the involuntary shiver.

She was even more shocked when the scent of blended strawberries materialized over her shoulder. Gripped between long, tan fingers which, of course, were tattooed was a _smoothie_. The smoothie she had just finished. _The fuck!?_

Blue-teal eyes watched as the hand placed the smoothie down on the table in front of her and retreated. _How_…? How, damn it! _How_ had Trafalgar_ fucking _Law found her! He couldn't be that good of a hunter? No human was that good at hunting, not anymore! Jillian stared wide-eyed at the smoothie thoughts, memories, and questions whirling wildly in her mind.

This situation couldn't possibly be happening. It _couldn't!_

Oh God, but he was _here_, she could _feel_ him, the heat of him, standing behind her seated form. Worse, she could feel that stare, that probing stare which had unnerved her ever since she'd entered the café. Had he been tailing her? Impossible, she'd been using the rooftops. Spirits, what was going on!? _No, don't lose your cool! Stay calm, stay guarded, and never show your back!_

That thought seemed to spur her into action. Body stiffening, she turned in her seat, eyes beneath the hood narrowed and glaring. Another thought dawned on her and lit the fuse of her temper; the bastard had actually managed to _sneak up on her! _And with how vigilant she'd been the whole time, it just didn't make sense.

He'd been utterly silent.

However, Jillian's anger was no match for Law's proximity, nor was it ready for him at all. At the sight of the Supernova her infamous temper died a premature death which left Jillian with nothing but…feminine curiosity? Wary feminine curiosity.

The Hellfire knew the body, she had to for her fighting style. Dim Mak called for an expert in bodily anatomy, pressure points, and synergy control. Yet, she'd never really taken the time to study the body for any other reason. But there she was staring, taking Law in. Jillian should've been embarrassed with the situation, disgusted with herself, and above all else planning an escape. She should've been scared out of her mind and on the defensive.

Apparently, her good sense and wisdom had flown the coop because she wasn't frightened, not one bit. She was wary, yes, and maybe tense as hell, but she was staring at Trafalgar Law and she wasn't backing down in her perusal of him.

And, by the Spirits of the ocean, was he handsome.

Darkly handsome.

There was just something about the captain that darkened his appeal. Whether it came from his aura which pulsated with barely restrained power, or from his confident manner in all things around him was unknown. Though one thing was for certain, that dangerous quality did not detract from his appeal, no, it _added to it._

Unruly, coal-black hair hid beneath the white of his hat; from what she remembered it had been soft and thick. Somewhat long but not too much. He had a strong jaw and a neat goatee that brushed his chin with black. Equally neat were the twin sideburns that seemed to fit the arrogant man. For reasons beyond Jillian's understanding his…facial hair painted a very masculine image that had her feeling a wave of steadily growing heat between her legs. His lips were thin but then again who was she to judge whether they were perfect or not. Those same lips were set in a half-smile, half challenge. _Challenge? For what? Do I even want to know?_

Jillian's eyes rose more and landed on storm clouds; his eyes. Oh, his eyes. Dangerous, dastardly snares they were and they caught her easily. Too easily. Accented by a pair of black brows, those knowing eyes of his watched her watch him. Jillian swallowed. She didn't know what but something flickered in that grey gaze, something beyond his façade of politeness, it unsettled her because she couldn't read him. No, Law wasn't a readable person, not by a long-shot. Jillian envied his aptitude for emotional indifference.

Though she was disturbed by the intent stare focused on her, Jillian couldn't shake the notion that her level of uneasiness was lacking. Maybe, it was. Wouldn't her normal reactions include running and attacking? Wouldn't it involve fear? Because, to be frank, she was scared of Trafalgar Law. Him and his damnable scent and ability in fields she was unfamiliar with. Which just wasn't quite fair in Jillian's mind.

Then again this _was _a pirate she was dealing with.

Everything they did was unfair.

Law hadn't moved and (creepily enough) was still watching her like she was the rarest bird in the world so she continued in her curious -_ insane, I am insane! _- examination of him. If he wanted to play _that _game than she would. _Jackass!_ Dropping her eyes away from the dangerous planes of his face she took in his stature. The Heart pirate captain was tall, something that had caught her eye when she first saw him. At around 6'3" he towered over her petite 5'3", a fact that he was subtly displaying at he stood behind her. And he was lean, but not too much as to be scrawny. Oh you'd be a fool for thinking that body was anything but strong. For a human, of course. _Though_, Jillian thought silently, _he did manage to hold you in that clearing while you were struggling. That's not weakness._

Jillian would've snorted at the thought had her mind not warned her of using her nose. She had to be careful around this man now. Slipping up and getting his scent in her head would have her right where he probably wanted her; vulnerable and open for attack. Not only would she have to be extremely careful with her senses but with him as well. Because he had experience and she did not, and he knew too much already. Jillian absolutely could not allow him a chance to gain ground.

Thoughts of the dare crept back to haunt her and she fought a cringe. She could not show weakness when the proverbial shark was swimming around, he would smell the blood and move in before she could to swim to safety. She wouldn't leave herself open to his manipulations; there would not be a_ repeat _of The Rusty Boot.

Unbeknownst to Jillian a shiver racked her body as flashes of the incident seared through her mind.

The husky chuckle sent a streak of heat down to her loins and Jillian immediately sought a distraction by swallowing and biting her lip _hard_. _Don't let him get you! _The mental demand ricochet off the walls of her mind. Feeling strangely daring (crazy) Jillian turned back around with a disdainful snort and started sucking on the straw of her new smoothie studiously. She hoped he would take the hint and go away. She was also incredibly tense; Law had shown himself to be fast and agile, a sneak attack would be right up his alley.

Law smiled at the blatant rebuff as he moved to take the seat next to the woman. Jillian tried - God, she_ tried _- to ignore her awareness of his knee brushing hers, and the tingling it inspired throughout her body. _Goddamn it! He can't be in control of my bodily responses! Control it, _**_control it!_**

"Not going to thank me, Miss Jillian?"

Said Gifted stopped slurping away at the smoothie abruptly. Hidden eyes darkened with temper.

"Why should I? It's not like I asked you to buy me one or did you _steal_ it?" Jillian bit out waspishly. Irritation didn't even cut it for what she was feeling at the moment. When only silence met her gnashed out reply spite and wariness made her look over at the seat next to her. Instantly she wished she hadn't. That smile, enigmatic and secretive, seemed to taunt her with her own uncertainty and tension. It was even worse when the glint in his eyes twinkled with the wicked knowledge of their late night rendezvous. _Damn it, he's too close!_

Sighing, "What the hell do you want."

Law raised an eyebrow at her blase exclamation. This was definitely a new facet of her personality. The thought brought on a very intrigued smirk to his face. How interesting it was that he should encounter a surly blunt woman in the place of one hell-bent on escaping him. Just where had the frightened one gone in the span of one day? Speculation filled Law's mind and sharpened his gaze.

Something had definitely changed. He could sense it hovering over the Gifted like a roiling storm. Now _what_ had changed and what had spurred its creation?

"Everything."

Jillian stared at the smirking jackass and growled lowly at the confidence of the assertion. _Fuck you!_

Sneering repugnantly, Jillian hissed, "Then what the fuck is stopping you? Huh? You seemed ready to take _anything_ back at the damn bar!" The sudden swell of fury and humiliation had Jillian throwing off her hood to glare at the insufferable man. God, she _wanted_ to kill him but her instincts were warning her away from such action. If the patrons of the café were surprised at her appearance Jillian took no note of it. She didn't care to, so intent was she on glaring hate at Trafalgar Law.

Law, however, was delighted and surprised. Surprised because Jillian somehow remembered the events of her drunken stupor and delighted because that knowledge deepened the mystery of her tenfold. It also opened new doors for Law to consider. _She remembered._ It had been a distant hope that had lingered in his mind; that she would wake up and recall his claim, his words, and his touches. That she would feel _branded_. Now that he knew for sure that she did, in fact, remember…

The smile that twisted Law's features was sinister and way too satisfied for Jillian. What the hell was he _smirking_ at? The way he was looking at her made her want to run, and run far. It had her stomach flipping at the intensity of his gaze. _Stop staring at me like that!_ Did he get off at exploiting her when she was drunk? Was that why he was staring at her so happily! How_ dare _he come in here, sit next to her, and have the_ audacity _to leer at her! Jillian's temper flared white-hot.

"I bet you feel_ proud _taking _advantage_ of a woman when she's drunk, huh?" snarled the teal-haired dragon menacingly, hands fisted, knuckles white. She _would not _just sit there and take his smug complacency.

Law watched the bristling Gifted intently, remembering to pay close attention to where her hands were, they were dangerous weapons. And with how angry she was at the moment Law was under no illusion that she wouldn't go after him if provoked enough. Yet, seeing those slit eyes come ablaze was worth the risk. He was glad the hood had been removed, it saved him the trouble of forcing it off her head. Though, that would've been just as satisfying.

Lips still curled in a smirk of lazy pleasure, Law murmured, "Why bring it up if you hated it so much?" Sonniellon B. Jillian was a clever woman with a quick and agile mind. Law knew this to be fact and yet she had some gaping blind spots in her thinking, _particularly_ about herself. It was such gaps he blamed for her lack of knowledge about her own body and its human reactions. She was clearly not of his own species but it was obvious that _while _human the Gifted was open to all the ins and outs of humanity. Which Jillian proved to be utterly unprepared for.

She also was wholly unprepared for the intensity of a humans libido and by default sexuality.

Sexuality that Jillian was feverishly running from. And doing a horrible job at it. She had no idea what she was doing, or even how to handle her own arousal. Law already knew that his looming presence was making her uncomfortable in more ways than one. It was quite entertaining to watch her fidget and squirm, even more so when she was trying to cover it up. But from his standpoint, a _doctors_ standpoint, she could hide nothing. Slightly elevated breathing, tension in the shoulders, jerky movements, and again those strangely dilated eyes. A mere slit of black they were. She wasn't hiding anything from him.

Law was not surprised when his bold statement met no biting retort, rather Jillian looked too infuriated to reply all together. The _Surgeon of Death _liked to watch her seethe when she was angry, it was fascinating to see those eyes narrow and darken, lips pull back over deadly fangs - another trait of inhumanity that deepened his appreciation of her.

He sat, posture relaxed and unthreatening, and waited for her to rein in her temper. When she seemed to finally wrestle the fury sparking in her eyes back to a manageable level, he continued.

"No answer? Now that is interesting. Or is your silence merely a time for producing a lie?"

The fact that she looked stricken by the new question was enough of an answer. So Jillian was conflicted over having enjoyed his actions the other night and admitting it to herself for that matter. _Quite the puzzle you are_, thought Law archly. He would enjoy discovering every piece of her. Had she been conflicted like she was now after the dare? Law hoped so.

The bastard was incorrigible…and unpredictable. Not only was she caught off guard by his words but it was hard to glare when his eyes seemed to gleam with the knowledge of her thoughts and feelings, as if he knew what was reeling through her mind. The languid arrogance he was displaying was just another thing that made him hard to glare at. It made her want to strangle him and run but she didn't want to make a scene. She was tired from all her searching; another factor that made her wary. Exhaustion was close, a confrontation would be risky in her state. Plus, her synergy was already strained enough as it was. It took a lot out of a dragon to constantly shift between forms.

_Silence? Lie? Ha, maybe I just don't feel like talking to you asshole! _Jillian found it way more appetizing to keep her silence on the matter. She didn't want to talk about _that_ anyway. Jillian promptly turned back to sip at her smoothie.

Law quirked a dark brow at Jillian's tactic; evasion. The Dark Doctor remained undaunted by her disregard. He knew by their earlier interactions that to be able to sit near her freely was something out of the norm, nevertheless, it was a chance he wouldn't risk ruining. So he would take this time to do some subtle digging. Especially now that she was actually sober.

Jillian could feel his gaze on her, it was very, very hard to ignore. Couldn't the lout leave her be? Gritting her teeth the Hellfire sent a vicious glance and _balked_. He was staring at her _expectantly_, somehow managing to look inviting, displeased, and unthreatening all at once. What did he want? An answer?

The Gifted frowned at him and snorted. She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to talk to him!

"What are you afraid of?" he asked abruptly. Jillian could only stare, puzzled. _Afraid of? _But the heat behind his eyes was answer enough. Suddenly feeling hot and dizzy Jillian looked away from his penetrating stare.

"That's a really broad question, Trafalgar." Jillian grumbled moodily. She'd rather beat around the bush than answer such a question. It was a question veiled in shades, a double meaning. She refused to walk over the mine; this game he was playing was a trap.

"You're deflecting, Miss Jillian," replied the surgeon.

Sonneillon B. Jillian let out a frustrated, choking snarl and rounded on Law with a black serpentine glare. Lips curled angrily, she bit out, "Of course, I'm deflecting! I don't want to talk to you! After the shit you pulled why would I? I don't know what the hell you're up to but leave me out of it! And stop pushing it, damn it! I am not human like you, so don't touch me! What you pulled the other night, Spirits, don't you have any honor? I don't like you, not even remotely, Trafalgar, so _stop_ with all the…" Jillian trailed off; she didn't want to admit it, didn't want to_ say it._

Spirits, she'd never felt so exposed in her life. It was a terrible feeling. Jillian shifted nervously, she was way out of her element.

Law listened to Jillian's furious rant; while all the orders rankled he did not follow through with the urge to punish her. His abnormal show of restraint did serve a purpose; the rant was quite _enlightening_. The Surgeon of Death let loose a chuckle and spoke lowly, richly, "In the few minutes I've been sitting here, your skin has flushed, the heartbeat pulsing at your neck has accelerated, and you've adopted a strange breathing pattern. I know the scent of arousal, Miss Jillian. I can smell yours. Now I'm going to ask you again: what are you afraid of?"

Shock punched her with an icy fist. _Oh Spirits_… He was dangerous, so very dangerous! He'd swiped the rug of stability right from under her feet. Left her grasping at straws. Jillian closed her eyes, helpless against the panic that was beginning to show itself, and drew in a shaky breath. Then another.

Her mind raced. Instinct screamed and railed.

He knew. Law knew. Of course, he did! She was literally a novice trying to resist the skilled hand of a grand master. Reading a few books gave her an inkling of the iceberg that was arousal. But no field experience. Experience that Law was very apt at using. Did she expect him not use it against her? _Yes. _No, because he was_ ruthless_. He was—

"Don't think too hard, Miss Jillian," Law cautioned softly, eyes gleaming eerily. "Lying to ones captain invokes punishment."

His voice, the low sultry tone of it had Jillian's stomach burning with liquid heat and scandalized fury. The emotion of her response had Jillian's own voice kicking up a notch in octave, "P-punishment! You have no fucking right! You're not my _captain!_"

Law locked eyes with the incensed dragon and smiled slowly, provocatively. He shifted in his seat, brushing his knee against hers again, and leaned forward into her space. The Dark Doctor was gratified that she let him and proud that she didn't back down. That subtle defiance made him want to hold on to her all the tighter.

"The day is coming, Miss Jillian. But I didn't come here to fight." And Law meant it. He'd followed Jillian to this remote diner not to capture her, but to converse, get her comfortable with speaking with him, maybe answer a few questions that lingered on his mind. That had been his hope when he'd watched her enter; the impression he expected was not what he was given much to his surprise. Instead of flying fists, cornered growls, and hostility he was met with stony silence, cutting replies, and scorn. When he expected her to run at the sight of him she did a one-eighty and stayed.

Jillian was unpredictable. She was fascinating.

_What the hell does he mean __not fight? __He's hunting me! And the day is coming? What the hell does __that__ mean? _So many questions and no answers. Jillian despised the fact that she felt interested in what he meant, she _knew_ it was bait, meant to stir up her curiosity, prick her interest; did his manipulations ever end! But she wouldn't say a thing, she wouldn't fall into his trap, not this time! If she did she'd be eating her own-…_damn it! _The questions churned around in her head, loud and blaring. Temptation had her cursing her loss of control.

What's worse, she couldn't tell when it had started slipping away. He was stripping her of her defenses and he wasn't even _doing_ anything but talking! Oh, but his voice- _Stop it, shut up!_

She wasn't going to speak. She wasn't going to speak. She wasn't…

"Stalkers don't just sit down and converse! Don't for a _fucking_ minute think I don't know what you're planning! I know you covet my allegiance, I'm not stupid nor was I born yesterday. So give me one Goddamn reason why I shouldn't get up and leave." snapped the Hellfire sharply, leg muscles tensed to rise. She turned to meet the eyes of the Supernova; this time she did not falter in her stare. Though, she did feel her stomach flip at the intensity boring out from Law's grey eyes; it was a very penetrating look he was giving her. Like a predator watching prey.

Law's eyes lit up with triumph as he heard Jillian speak. She was highly perceptive. He would have to choose his words carefully here. One wrong word, one threat and he'd lose the game of delicate bantering. It was a challenge he relished in partaking. Jillian was a worthy opponent, worthy of being a Heart pirate.

Dark eyes suddenly landed on the chess board and gleamed with devious delight.

Smirking mischievously Law waved a hand, "Do you play?"

Jillian was caught off guard (again!) at Law's abrupt shift. She was suspicious about his intentions. Surely there was an ulterior motive? A chance to draw her focus to something else so he could move in and ambush her. Blue-teal eyes narrowed, lips curled, "I don't know, it depends on whether you're planning something. Since you seem so _set_ on me joining you, what's stopping you from ambushing me when I'm distracted with making a move? I don't trust you."

Law leaned back, adjusted his grip on his nodachi, and replied, "Trust has nothing to do with chess, Miss Jillian, but if you're so anxious I was only going to propose a simple wager."

Oh bastard, he was a bastard! Jillian ground her teeth and glared at the table, then glared at the chess board. He was playing hard ball in saying that she was anxious in his presence. He was also throwing her an evil curve ball in the form of a hook. Enticing her with a game and pushing it further with higher stakes. The stakes were already high; she'd been giving him too many cues and he was leading. Always keeping one step ahead of her throwing lines and seducing her curious side when she really shouldn't give a damn. Who knew taking stabs at the dark was this dangerous. Or…was Law just that good at manipulation…?

Could she put all her cards on the table and say yes? Would that be giving in to his manipulations? Did she want to? _No._ He wanted her to say yes, wanted her to be curious. She wouldn't be. She would leave and not look back. Damn Law and his stupid interesting wager.

Jillian slanted a reluctant glance at the chess board, she hadn't played in twenty years. Releasing a silent sigh Jillian made to get up-

And was stopped by a hand wrapping around her wrist.

"Stay."

Jillian stared, eyes slightly wide, down at the tan, tattooed hand, and sent its owner an agitated glare. "Why should I!" she hissed after a small contemplative pause. For a moment there she'd been shocked speechless by the sudden contact. Jillian wasn't used to being touched, especially with such familiarity.

"Because you want to," came the confident retort. Law caught the look and read its meaning easily.

Jillian knew it was a bad idea, hell even the little voice of reason in her head knew it was a bad idea. She should leave right now, but she was so very tempted nevertheless. Slowly, Jillian sat back down and nearly spat at Law's face when she caught his expression of satisfaction.

"…Fine, but any sly shit and I'll rip your fingers off. Now tell me about this wager?" Jillian said curtly. She was uncaring of the fact that Law seemed none too happy about her short order. _Deal with it you arrogant asshole! _

Under his amusement and the feeling of elation in getting Jillian to stay, there was that steadily growing ire that he had hidden under his mocking politeness and unthreatening smile. Law was not a man easily angered but when he was…it wasn't pretty. The Dark Doctor felt his smile stretch into a smirk that was both razor-sharp and challenging.

_There would be a time for disciplining_, Law conceded silently while watching Jillian stare at the board. Taking a deep breath to calm himself Law continued forward with what he had planned. It wouldn't do to lose his temper during such delicate standings.

Law locked eyes with Jillian a second time, smile firmly in place, voice rich with cool simplicity, "For every piece I capture, you will answer one question of mine and vice versa."

Jillian dropped her gaze slowly, ruminating over the pros and cons. There were many to be sure, but the window for knowledge was open. Jillian didn't want to miss the chance to gather some recon on her hunter. What he was asking was risky; she'd have to be careful of his questions, especially the ones about her past, about _her._ It would not do for a human to dally in matters far beyond his station. It would surely get him killed along with everyone around him for that matter. And as much as Jillian hated Law she didn't want to see him cut down, his men slaughtered. It would be more red in her ledger.

"Fine, but we _both_ get three passes." stated the Hellfire sternly, she would not be denied in this. On seeing Law's nod Jillian relaxed some and considered the board. Her side was black so that meant Law would have the first move. Good, she would be able to see and guess his strategy first.

Resolve and focus hardening Sonneillon B. Jillian waited and watched and geared herself for war.

She wouldn't give him the pleasure of asking one question.

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A/N: Another one done. Yay! I know, I know I left it at an evil spot. Call it revenge for no reviews...Okay that was a lie. I just had to end it! It was getting_ so_ long! Anyway, **_review_** please. Tell me what you think. Spelling corrections are also welcomed.

_(1) - A valentine day dragon from Dragon Cave._

_(2) - Lowest part of the sternum. A heart shot. _


	9. Devil's Chess Game

Wow, I got this one out fast. Surprising how, well, this chapter ATE MY BRAIN! It's actually quite shocking that I wrote such a hard chapter so fast. It practically wrote itself. O.O Hmm, but I am happy with it. And now for the shout outs. XD Because I feel like it. And I want to thank all those who reviewed last time.

**XylimLinyx**: _It's nice to have you back. Hmm, remember that Jillian is older than Law. Hard as it seems, she will have more experience. Though whether they get to see their defeat...*Grins* Liberty had always been rather...loud in her reactions but its to be expected. She does go through a shitload or...well shit. Lol. Thank God for Shakky. Always loved_ _her character. _

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan**: _You have been a repeated reviewer. :3 I give you Law and Kid plushies for that. XD I do have to say, I am right there with you in the amusement store. Hehe. What can I say I just love torturing my characters...not that they don't enjoy it. *Smirks* _

**Greawenn**: _Thank you, thank you! Jillian and Liberty oh so love their confusion and it will only grow worse. _

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**: _And another faithful One Piece lover and reviewer! I love your opinions! They make me all warm and fuzzy. And they usually rip a laugh out of me. Thank you for that! Law is hot isn't he! Though I think it would be a lil hard to jump him...he'd just displace you and smirk. o.o Kid in a tux...Need I really say more... _

**Girl-luvs-manga**: _You are also another faithful reviewer! God, I feel so happy to have fic stalkers! Not that you're a stalker or anything...Lol. Ah hell we're all stalkers when it come to One Piece. And yes Jillian and Liberty = trouble up the ass. Big time. _

**lunamirrior**: _I can't even begin to tell you how awesome you are! *Bows down before awesomeness* I love the long reviews. LOVE THEM! I would glomp, actually glomp you if I could. Have no clue if that sounds creepy or not. People LOOK AT HER REVIEWS! THAT is a review. Lol. People could really learn a thing or two from your awesomeness. But thank you so much for taking the time to write them! I look forward to hearing your comments on the monster down there. XD _

**sam**: _I was hoping to get a 53rd review before I updated and I was not disappointed! Thank you! And the questions will continue to pile. Trust me on this, Arcane Dissonance will - hopefully - have you tilting your head and saying 'wait, what!?' _

**desirae668**: _Yes, I am back. Thank freaking God! Hellish last couple of weeks! I will not discontinue this story. I won't. I've felt the pain and agony at seeing too many stories disappear from my favorites like they were ghosts. I am still mourning over them. *Cries* _

**Tough Chick**: _Thank you faithful minion! X) You have graced me again with a review. _

**Twister60**: _To think those two characters are me and The Blonde Beagle. Hehe. Well, without the hair and eyes and dragons scales. Lol. You can thank OPVD for the inspiration of this story. Its hell and won't leave your brain alone and highly contagious. OPVD = One Piece Vision Disorder. No cure._

* * *

Alright, minions you may attack the newest chapter now. Have fun! And see if you can catch all the invisible language as I like to call it. *Chuckles evilly*

**Chapter 8: Devil's Chess Game**

_"All your secrets crawl inside,_

_You keep them safe, you let_

_them hide. You feel them_

_drinking in your pain to kill_

_the memories. So close your_

_eyes and let it hurt. Lie to me._

_Walk away. Lie to me. Leave_

_me in denial!"_

**Lie To Me by Red**

It was small. Ridiculously so.

Thin, white, and deceptively harmless looking.

Kid knew better.

It was sharp and durable; a needle.

A needle that wasn't metal, therefore he had no control over it. Absolutely none at all. Its color and texture wasn't that of some unknown alloy but of bone. Who fought with bone these days? Kid stared at the weapon with brooding eyes and snorted. His explosive temper had cooled after a good day and a half, it was still there, of course, but Kid hadn't survived the Grand Line on aggression and violence alone. This attack against his person had left him with three things; an insight, a weapon, and loads of curiosity.

Dark lips set in a perpetual frown deepened as memories resurfaced. He'd been walking around some random grove searching for his wayward dragon when the sound of stampeding footsteps had met his ears. He would have just brushed it off as some idiot weakling running from the other idiots - marines - had the shouts not reached his ears next. At the words "wyvern" and "sister" Kid had promptly turned on his heel with the intention of hunting down said Wyvern Sister. _She wouldn't escape him this time._

He'd just exited an alley in time to see a glimpse of teal disappear into another alley some ways down the main street. Kid remembered sneering at the pathetic attempts of the marines; they were too stupid to realize that their target had ducked into an alley. _What fucking fools, _had crossed his mind at the time. And the marines _were_ fools. Because the only one who was going to catch the bitch _was him. _

Waiting for the little bastards to leave had tried what little patience Kid had. The Supernova just wasn't used to waiting for anything or _anyone_ for that matter. People _waited_ on _him_ not the other way around. Hence, why the marines would find three slaughtered privates later on. Eustass "Captain" Kid didn't do patience, not when it involved marines, the scum of the food chain. Kid gave a sneering grin.

The only redeeming quality in his memory were their screams. They, at least, had screamed when he'd wanted them to, and _oh_ had it given him satisfaction. Usually he left the torturing to Killer but those assholes had been chasing_ his _dragon. So he'd felt the need to teach them a lesson before he sent them to hell. It was a lesson he relished in giving to many.

Though the task had sent the familiar blood-lust shrieking through his veins Kid had ended the bloodletting session early. He did have a dragon to catch as it were. It was a fleeting notion but the thought of making his dragon _scream_ had him making his way all the quicker. So he'd left the gory scene with a grin and a good mood which wasn't really all that good for anybody but him in the long run. What met his eyes made them narrow and gleam; it had been Skulley J. Liberty and not the other mouthy bitch. If Kid thought killing those three weaklings had brought him gratification than it paled in comparison with what he'd felt upon seeing his dragon _and_ in a dead-end to boot.

The memories after had the Supernova grinning like the manic many thought him to be. How very wrong those people were. A low dark chuckle slipped past equally dark lips like smoke, there and gone in an instant. His dragon tasted like citrus, warm citrus. Tangy, acidic citrus. He wanted more of it, more of_ her_. _Her lips are mine._ Kid was quickly becoming possessive over his newest conquest. The furious urge didn't bother the Supernova; Kid simply owned things, claimed them and marked them as his. And it wouldn't be long, in Kid's mind, until he claimed Lib. A gold bangled wrist came up, fingers holding the delicate needle in front of him; it was an interesting weapon, one Kid wasn't familiar with at all. Though in a way it fit; an equally sapid weapon for an equally sapid woman. The wide rapacious smile on Kid's face would've disturbed any normal person.

Even more interesting was the little secret the needle held. Wire, his doctor, had examined the slim weapon after he'd been brought back to his ship _paralyzed. _The bitch had stabbed him with a needle that had paralyzed him. Not all of him but his whole left side had gone numb seconds after the attack. There hadn't been much pain from the hit but his pride had definitely been bruised. Yet, the needle had been a calling card. It had been that same night that Wire had ventured back to his Captain's cabin with news that the needle was…_hollow_._ Fucking hollow!_

There had been residue left over, a very small amount, inside the chamber but Wire had attributed Kid's state of paralysis with a type of poison or drug. The realization had been startling. Skulley J. Liberty fought with needles and _poison_. The _bitch_ had dared to poison _him! _It was no wonder he'd been so enraged at according to Wire it was a poison that he had no record of; it was unknown, dangerous, and had no cure. Luckily Kid had slept the damnable poison off after two days of hair-trigger fury and boredom. His crew, besides Killer, had not fared well.

Kid smirked at the memory of watching his men run like pussies under a hail of sharp metal. It had been the one thing during his recovery that had made him even remotely happy. But for all the time in bed Kid hadn't been sitting idle, oh no, his mind had worked furiously on the subject of Skulley J. Liberty.

She was dangerous. She was mysterious. She fought with poisoned needles. And apparently she had never been kissed before. _He wanted her._

His curiosity had roiled at all the unanswered questions, it still was. Kid leaned back on his bed slowly, leisurely, and continued to stare at the little needle. There was something else that lingered in his memory. Something that wouldn't let itself be explained; a phenomenon that had caught his eye. It had been at the end when he thought he'd had her, something had happened then that eluded his understanding now. His dragon was a literal _fucking _puzzle.

And it pissed him off.

He felt like he was going in Goddamn circles and still managing to miss what was niggling at him. A growl of frustration hissed through Kid's teeth as he clenched them. He felt like he was missing something every time he reviewed the last part of the confrontation. Something had changed between him kissing Lib and her attacking him but what the hell was it?

Red eyes suddenly narrowed; the bitches eyes…

Her eyes had been _different._

Didn't Liberty have brown eyes with a ring of teal around the iris? Then why did she have teal eyes in his memory during and after the attack? Had they changed somehow?

And what had made the change?

The skin under his right eye twitched. A second later saw an empty needle thudding into the wall of the Captain's cabin.

_Too many fucking questions! _Kid hissed angrily and glared at the needle across his room. Its owner was a clutter fuck of mystery. A mystery he would solve once he got a hold of her. Skulley J. Liberty would tell him _what the hell _was up with her eyes, _why_ her voice had changed along with it, and she would prove to him that she was a virgin like he thought she was.

_Oh yes_, they had lots to talk about next time. And there _would_ be a next time.

Red eyes grew dark and calculating, churning with ideas and schemes.

He'd pin her down next time, only next time wouldn't end with an attack.

It would end far more _pleasurable_.

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Law smiled slightly, tauntingly. "Lady's first."

Jillian glared at the human with suspicious eyes; white always made the first move regardless of gender, and Law had white. _What are you up to._ She pointedly stared at his side and the white that marked it.

Either Law was ignoring her silent _get-a-move-on_ or he was just being quietly facetious. The tension was quickly making her agitated. "I am not going to move, Trafalgar, since white_ always _starts the game." the Hellfire muttered through a growl. If he was trying to intimidate her through silence it wasn't going to work; Jillian was too irked, too fed up with the situation to get psyched out by him.

"Very well, Miss Jillian." A slow smirk. Long, tan fingers moved a pawn forward one square before retreating. Blue-teal eyes grew watchful and shrewd. Law was under critical scrutiny now but then so was she. It didn't take much for Jillian to see the same look of vigilant calculation in grey eyes. He was as on guard and ready as she was.

"Good," Jillian said with a quirk of her lips, feeling suddenly playful and daring. It was a strange swell of emotion but one Jillian didn't outright shoot down. She'd rather enjoy herself than have a horrible time while playing chess. It was her favorite game of strategy after all. Even if her partner was unsightly the game itself was not, so she would _enjoy_ herself.

"Confident?" Law questioned, grey eyes trained on Jillian's hands. It was still her turn and she had yet to move.

Jillian snorted, glancing at the man across the table. "Am I?" She inquired ambiguously. Law's eyes seemingly darkened, clever mind grasping those two words; he'd caught on to her game. Blue-teal eyes glittered with sharp humor. Why should she answer when no pieces had been captured. There was no obligation.

Law's smirk grew tenfold; how utterly cunning Jillian was in rebuffing his advances. The Heart pirate captain felt acute satisfaction at this simple show of intelligence and it showed in his eyes as he stared at his wily opponent. Voice smooth and husky, "Planning on trouncing me, Miss Jillian?"

Said woman scoffed with rancor, eyes perusing her side careful diligence. A moment of thought later saw Jillian moving her first pawn on the field with firm determination. There was no way she would give the bastard time to unnerve her with his velvet tones and half-lidded eyes. She would focus on the game, on her strategy, and pay no attention to the hot pool of sensation growing in her belly. She _would not _get aroused by Trafalgar Law.

She refused.

Nodding curtly to herself Jillian concentrated all her energy on the board and Law's next move. In the span of a second her whole demeanor _changed_.

…

Ten minutes past in silence, human and dragon moving slowly, cautiously testing the waters of the others skill. It was a delicate dance of fingers and tactics, one each relished. Jillian made her moves slowly, eyes always taking in Law's side with careful consideration. Chess was all about reading and anticipating your opponents strategy and countering it; traps were common place, expected, and it would not do for Jillian to underestimate his ability. Law showed the same capacity for thoughtful action, all with that same smirk curling his lips. His moves were bold, quick, and decisive, however there was a definite layer of subtle deception that was obvious.

It had Jillian smiling cryptically. Her eyes adopted that musing, faraway look she always wore right as she was about to make a move. It was something Law had caught on to three moves earlier. Interesting. It was the only expression she allowed through on her otherwise blank poker-face.

Law chuckled leisurely, body deceptively relaxed. "I am bemused," he spoke with a smile, "You do not appear under pressure." A delusive statement. After twelve minutes of playing no piece had been taken; Law didn't know whether to be overly satisfied by Jillian's evasive skill or impatient that he'd yet to capture a black piece. He'd go with the satisfaction. Impatience had no place in chess anyway.

A barely perceivable change in expression then. Law watched the Hellfire closely; would she give something away in this game of deceit, he could only watch and wonder. Though, his words_ had _hit a chord of some sort. His subtle prod against her change in composure had not left him empty-handed. Law wanted her to be _aware_ of his knowledge, aware of the fact that he…_knew. _

Law did not miss the ghost of tension in slender shoulders. The message had been received loud and clear it seemed. "I see that made you angry, Miss Jillian." Law chuckled, eyes alight with dark admiration as she shifted abruptly, becoming aggressive in her game. And that admiration heightened as Jillian drew first blood with the capture of his rook. _Now what will you ask_…_?_

Such a question sent curiosity and anticipation curling through his gut. Law waited.

Straightening in her seat, Jillian looked at the thorn in her side. It had been a while since their impromptu game had started and yet…there was…a sense of…_holding back. _Brows furrowing Jillian contemplated the notion that Law might have given her the first question. It was probable. Highly probable, actually. Jillian accepted the notion with not an ounce of wariness but detached reception. Nevertheless, she could not ignore what was so blatant. This man was a manipulator. A bloodied mastermind in scholarly disguise.

Her gaze was veiled and languid, "I," Jillian murmured with a small, wry smile, "…can appreciate the beauty of a well-laid trap." Precarious, her words were, even to the point of outright allegation. The risky declaration had a thrill streaking down her spine and sweat beading at her neck. The expression on Law's face was one that was hard to meet; Jillian didn't like being stared at so…directly. That secretive smirk full of smug trickery and challenge provoked her with her own temper, it was even worse combined with those penetrating eyes which watched her so intently, so _devilishly_. It was as if he knew something she did not, a fact that bit and clawed at her nerves ruthlessly.

What knowledge could Law have that garnered such a look? Then again, Law already had the upper hand in this battle of wits. Jillian blamed the disadvantage on her drunken divulgence. The bastard held dangerous information. Very, very dangerous information, in fact. Which meant she would have to be on her game till she got away from him. She would have to be extra vigilant while playing, no mistakes, no _distractions_, none least she be asked a question she couldn't answer. It wouldn't do for her to slip up anymore than she had in the past.

That night in The Rusty Boot had been a happenstance, a mere coincidence. But for it to happen a second time…

Blue-teal eyes narrowed.

From behind the relative safety of her mask Jillian felt the intensity of Law's gaze. He was watching her like a hawk. Watching and waiting for her question. Watching her while she was lost in rumination. Jillian blinked at the realization and nearly cursed at her folly. Damn it, she'd been vulnerable! Her guard hadn't been up like it should be! _Fuck it!_ _No wonder he's watching me so damn closely! I'm giving him something to watch!_

The Hellfire's face immediately smoothed; emotions vanished under a wall of cool indifference, and whatever expression Law was watching so avidly disappeared. Her mask regained its inscrutability with a sharp, brutal mental jerk. Needing a diversion to seal the major window she'd given the Supernova Jillian spat out the first question on her mind. The one that had lingered there since the night in the bar.

"You were watching me in the bar, Trafalgar, but how did you find me in such an inconspicuous place?"

Law was quite entertained at the moment. How very intriguing it was to learn that Sonneillon B. Jillian was rather…expressive. Just what was she hiding behind that poker-face of hers? The Dark Doctor chuckled malevolently, it was amusing to see her slip up, and even more so when she noticed the fact herself.

Ah, what a very astute question. Law steepled his fingers lazily and grinned at the Hellfire's tension. It seemed Jillian didn't like to be kept waiting, a bit of common ground they shared. Still smiling the Surgeon of Death contemplated how he would word his answer. There were _so many ways _of explaining it and each would have a different reaction. The need for experimentation was strong, Law did not resist it. No, not when he was curious, not when Jillian was proving to be far more _intricate_ than he'd anticipated. She wasn't just a puzzle, his wyvern possessed several layers of mystery to explore, and he was itching to go on an expedition.

"Aren't you going to answer or is your silence merely time for producing a lie?" came the snarky barb. Impatient, so very impatient. Grey eyes gleamed as they locked with blue-teal; Jillian's gaze continued to fascinate him and he was loath to look away.

He didn't.

She did.

Law smiled slowly, he could almost _taste_ the uncomfortable vibe surrounding Jillian as she glanced away. Feeling just a tad bit sinister Law opted for provocation, a subtle provocation. "A piece of paper, Miss Jillian." Simple, short, and deliciously cryptic; would she recognize his angle was the question. He was not disappointed when the glaze of concentration fell over the Hellfire's face, she was thinking, deciphering his answer. Watching it, the emotions flitting over her features like a roll film, brought a curious epiphany to Law's mind.

Sonneillon B. Jillian was an enigma, however she was also a study in _contrasts_. What he'd seen so far of her personality did not run parallel with what lingered in his memory; the Jillian he remembered would've done her best to escape him with wide terrified eyes, while the Jillian before him stared him down challengingly with tense shoulders and razor blade smiles. Again, what had changed? Or, Law pondered, was there no change at all? Was_ this _her real personality? He could only wonder…for now.

_A piece of paper? Damn it! I can't use my nose to tell if he's lying! Argh! Fuck!_

Jillian glared at the board seething for all she was worth. A piece of paper! How was a _piece of paper _supposed to find someone! It was entirely too noncommittal! Was that even allowed? She tried glaring at the evasive bastard but he was looking down at the board - conveniently -_ ignoring _her! She didn't care if he was _busy _planning his next move she wasn't _done with him! _

Fangs grinding something fierce, a low threatening growl bubbling up the back of her throat, Jillian ground out, "I don't _like_ humans following me, Trafalgar, so how bout you give me a real_ fucking _answer this time, " Law looked up and she nearly, very nearly snarled at the hooded glint of devious smugness that lurked there, "and not some bullshit made to _piss me off_."

She didn't care that it had been a trap. If he wanted to play the fool and prod the monster that was her temper than that was his decision. _Fine, you ugly asshole!_

Fun. Law hadn't had this much fun since torturing that rookie crew three islands back. There was a lot less blood involved but that was okay, Jillian was present at the moment so Law was quite content with the situation. Though, right now she looked ready to go for his throat. He found the possible danger _exhilarating. _As well as her control which was, perhaps, even more interesting. With how infuriated she was she still hadn't lost herself to it.

Law wondered just how far he had to push till she finally lashed out.

Grey gaze glittering with wicked emotion, Law spoke, voice calm and cultured, "I don't talk bullshit Miss Jillian. My answer was just that - an answer. You will not always be in a position where answers are worded for you pleasure." A subtle hint and jab.

Leaning forward, Law reached across the board for a pawn and moved it forward. "I apologize for disappointing you, " he mocked.

Jillian, in her defense, did not go after the bait this time but sat and glared hatefully at the pirate across from her. How could she possibly be attracted to _this! _Shaking that thought out of her head Jillian focused on her next move. He was definitely upping the ante with his last advance, damn bastard knew how to play. But Jillian wasn't really worried. Her experience far outstripped his.

After making a decision between two pieces Jillian scooted her knight in the usual 'L' shaped fashion. Law commented with a smooth, "Prudent, " by which was met with a scoffing sneer.

"But not prudent enough," he continued arrogantly, reaching for his king and attacking from an unexpected position on the board. Jillian raised her eyes to his and hissed, "Ask your damn question."

If Law had thought Jillian's previous posture had been tense before what he was seeing now far surpassed it. Like stone, she sat in front of him, unmoving and death-like. He reckoned this reaction to her feeling threatened…or cornered. While Jillian possessed a remarkable control over her emotions Law found it easy to read other less guarded things about her. Like, for instance, her tension now; when someone felt threatened it usually led to secrets or weaknesses. If Jillian had wanted even the slightest chance of throwing him off she should've faced him with cool indifference, not this hair-trigger tension.

Now what would he ask? Several questions immediately came to the forefront of his mind. But he would not rush into his decision; he'd let her stew in her uneasiness, it brought a sense of triumph that he could unsettle her so. Plus, he liked to watch Jillian squirm. Everything about her was different, _inhuman_, and it beguiled his mind every time he laid eyes on her. And there was so much to her, so many facets to discover. It was even more addictive when said facets didn't mesh with each other. Jillian was a literal puzzle full of missing jagged pieces.

She presented such an enthralling picture that Law was torn between the urge of shoving the chessboard aside, drawing her into his lap, and letting his hands feel those curves again, or picking a question.

He had to be very discreet with any pretension in this particular_ interrogation._

Tilting his head just so, Law hid his expression of devilment under the shade of his hat. Jillian saw none of the nefarious calculations swimming in grey eyes.

"Tell me why you didn't run when I approached you from behind?" The tone was authoritative and demanding; it rankled to hear such an imperious command and _not _have the option of _fuck you_.

…Wait a minute. _Passes. _She could use one of her passes. But the question was…would he ask a far more intrusive inquiry on the next round? It was an obvious strategy. Too obvious for their _game. Or whatever the hell he's doing. Tricky muckworm!_

Jillian chuckled suddenly, eyes alight with patronizing scorn. She spoke with the hint of a smirk, "A simple question with a simple answer. My _senses_." _Ha, take that you arrogant son of a bitch! Taste your own fucking medicine for a change._

Law never lost his smirk, nor his cool expression, but Jillian did not miss the flicker of displeasure flit across his eyes. Though it was gone in an instant and Jillian had half a mind that she'd imagined the flicker. The sight of that miniscule emotion, however had Jillian feeling very self-satisfied nevertheless. It took two to tango and right now _she_ was the one leading. The feeling of momentary elation carried over to her turn. She made her move with confidence and sent a barbed-wire smile Law's way while she was at it.

Law wasn't bothered by her actions, opting to stay quiet and watch with dark unfathomable eyes. Jillian hated not being able to read him, it left her with very few straws to grab and manipulate. With an inward snort the Hellfire refocused on the game and her strategy; he'd gotten a question in and though it hadn't been a difficult one to answer Jillian didn't want to give him anymore opportunities. She felt secure in the knowledge that she could lie and dodge the proverbial bullet but she'd rather not have to dodge at all.

Her mask would hold in this strange but dangerous game…her life depended on it.

Information was _deadly. _Especially the information that festered in her mind like carrion filth. Law didn't know it yet but he wanted_ nothing _to do with her or the knowledge she carried. Because if he got involved…

Dead. He would be _dead._

Along with everyone else that knew him.

Law watched in studious silence as Jillian made her move; a daring spot she'd placed her bishop. His wyvern was proving to be a very…passive-aggressive in their game of chess, such behavior was notable when compared with her earlier flightiness. He enjoyed the challenge she presented, and even the snarky obstinance of her retaliations. Also in the fact that—

A slight change in the demeanor of the woman in front of him abruptly caught Law's attention. Instantly, his eyes were trained on her; there was no perceivable alteration to her posture, it was still tense, and had nothing to do with her expression - the blank poker-face, slight smile, and narrowed watchful eyes…

…It was there. So small, so covert that Law had to stare harder to grasp it. But it was there. A tiny variation hidden within the obscurity of her smile. That smile she was wearing, it did not follow the pattern of her behavioral expression, nor did it contribute to her poker-face. In a shrewd, calculating way, Law was able to decode the difference…and was met with more mystery.

Staring, Law realized what he was glimpsing was rare, a chink in Jillian's mask possibly.

Because suddenly, all the tension, the distrust and baiting; that playful daring that acted like a second layer of armor; all of it made sense the moment he perceived the meaning behind that smile.

A smile drenched in agony.

And…_self-hatred_.

Then it was gone.

Five seconds. Five seconds of observation before it vanished back under the mask Jillian wore everywhere. Yet, the impact of such a sight lingered like shadows in Law's mind. Again his curiosity had been pricked; the mystery of Sonneillon B. Jillian grew ever deeper. With nonchalant grace Law plucked up his last rook and blocked Jillian's wily move of her bishop.

Then he went back to staring.

She captured his white rook with her next move. Straightening in her seat, Jillian looked at the pirate with guarded eyes. Law noted the change instantly. Anyone with…less observational skills would quickly find themselves _overwhelmed_ by all the shifts in countenance. Anyone with_ average _observational skills would find themselves lost in deciphering whether Jillian was emoting anything at all.

Good thing Trafalgar Law wasn't average.

"…Why are you doing this- Wait, no…what," Jillian's voice trailed off, her face showing visible signs of confliction. Law watched raptly. "…What is you motive f-for…for- _damn it!_" Law raised an eyebrow; Jillian appeared unable to say something.

Of course, his curiosity at her question heightened.

Seemingly bracing herself Jillian turned her gaze to his, eyes stern and glaring, and viciously spat, "Why the_ fuck _are you a-arousing me!" The words sounded so confused, angry, and unnerved that Law could not keep a laugh down. It spilled out from his lips like lukewarm honey, heavy and amused. Jillian's glare darkened at his mocking chuckle, lips parting to release a snarl Law had only heard once. That one time back in the clearing when mister Eustass had threatened the other Wyvern Sister.

Jillian was angry. _Good_, thought the Surgeon of Death with dark pleasure.

It would appear Jillian held some_ resentments _about the other night. Law chuckled softly, grey eyes half-lidded with languid fixation. Speaking with a voice of smooth poison, "I pass."

Silence.

…_Snap_…

Jillian lunged.

And it was far faster than Law had anticipated. She easily cleared the table and slammed into his form, a snarl of rage echoing in his ears as his chair tipped backward. They landed in a heap on the floor but Jillian wasn't bothered with the change in position. All that was on her mind was making the male beneath _feel pain _and feel it_ now. _Which was probably why, in her primal fury, Law was able to block all of his vital points with a mere but _loud _distraction.

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Skulley J. Liberty listened numbly with a sense of detached horror.

_The Strawhats._

What Shakky was telling her…it couldn't be true. Liberty was not naïve. No, the world had ripped any veil over her eyes off long, long ago. But this- this was just insane, cruel, and _unfair._

She really like the Strawhats. They were funny, especially their goofy captain. Their one-of-a-kind captain. God, but the world needed more Luffy's. For as old as she was Lib had never met anyone with a soul as bright as Luffy's.

And to hear what Shakky was telling her. To actually hear that someone was going to wipe them out, kill them, was just too much. Of course, Lib wasn't so delusional as to believe that there weren't those who wanted the rookie crew dead _but still! _

Even worse…it hadn't happened yet.

But it would and soon from what Shakky was telling her.

And Shakky never, ever lied.

For once Liberty cursed her old friends honesty.

The Tri-horn closed her eyes, feeling that deep-set pain pulse from its nest in her heart. She couldn't…allow it.

Not again.

Never again.

No more.

_Death._

Brown-teal eyes snapped open the glint in them steely. Determined. Terrified. Wings appeared in a flash and then she was gone from the bed. Gone. Gone. Gone.

Shakky stood there and stared at her busted window. A moment later heard a sigh echo around the guest room…and the end of her explanation.

"…Bartholomew Kuma is staging it to_ save _them."

_Maybe_, Shakky pondered while pulling out a cigarette, _I should've said that first_.

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Sonneillon B. Jillian was angry to the point of not caring that her composure had shattered. Angry enough to disregard the fact that Law had probably done it on purpose. A clever baiting that she'd fallen right into. Jillian could've cared less. She'd been so very intent on the question, so very tense over the _answer_; Law rejecting it was just not acceptable in her books. And to actually _say it _to the bastard had seriously strained her pride. To have Law throw it back in her face with his damnable sardonic arrogance had pushed her too far.

It was like he _knew_ the question was personal to her. The answer even more priceless. _Damn him! _She'd fucking _kill_ him! Then she'd never have to feel that strange heat ever again. There would be no arousing! Maybe, the supposed attraction to the human would die along with him.

Jillian hoped so.

Snarling the Hellfire sent her fingers for Law's Kyosen, Tanchu, and Murasame points. (1)

Out of nowhere, at a speed that slightly startled her, hands clamped down around her wrists and yanked sideways.

The sudden shift of weight had Jillian falling forward…against Law.

The next thing she knew, a pair of warm lips captured her own.

The pool of heat trembled and churned and Jillian panicked at the sensation.

"Mmphh_–_"

Gasping only made it worse; Jillian tried jerking her head back to no avail. The Heart pirate captain had a tight grip on her hands. _Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! _Her eyes snapped open wide in shock when Law's other hand circled her waist, bodily moving her until she was situated between his legs. It was an intimate position, a very close position. Jillian could feel him everywhere, she'd never been so flush against a male. She was literally plastered against the Supernova. The panic that sprang up at that realization took her sanity away.

She felt cornered. Her first instinct was to lash out with her fists, only Law had a bruising grip restraining them. He was unbelievably strong for a human, actually Jillian was shocked (again!) by the fact that humans could be so strong. In her mind she saw them as weak-bodied creatures. Well, the man holding her down definitely wasn't weak-bodied!

Spirits, she was too close to him! Her body was already starting to betray her! The heat was spreading.

"Comfortable?" came the husky inquiry by her ear. The hot moist air against her skin had her yelping, eyes growing wider if possible.

Jillian felt the caress of skin ghost over her cheek and then they were staring at each other. Her temper seethed through her veins when she saw the gleam of masculine delight in his, and all panic promptly fled as her level of fury escalated. Goddamn him! He needed to release her or she'd spear him with her tail! Jillian had never been comfortable with anyone in close proximity - except Lib - and Law was breaking barriers. _He was too fucking close! _His body was too firm and toned underneath hers, and their position was just…_Gah! Shut up you piece of shit body! _

She wasn't enjoying her predicament. She _wasn't!_

But the arrogant bastard knew that, didn't he?

Jillian snarled when she couldn't find any purchase to reel back off the asshole. _Damn tile! _Snapping her fangs, Jillian glared at the smirking fool, and spat, "What the hell do you think you_–_"

She was cut off, her words swallowed by his mouth taking hers with slow deep pulls. Her arms, now held tight to her sides, made it impossible for her to remove herself from him. She couldn't even death roll off him, nor could she propel herself, and to make things worse…her concentration was shot so transforming was a bust. _This cannot be happening_, Jillian thought in growing desperation. Trafalgar Law was taking this too far. He was _human!_

Spirits, she could feel her heart hammering. He could probably feel it too. With all the willpower she possessed, she forced herself to ignore the coiling wire twisting in her gut, the need to release noises that wouldn't help her at all, and the heated glaze taking over her mind. She would not react to his persistent kisses. She forced herself to ignore that she was growing quickly aroused even while she continued to struggle against him. Her senseless traitorous body might lust after his ministrations, but her mind refused, outright refused to give in to him. Her instincts were screaming, shrieking at her to fight, to struggle, to gut him and make him bleed.

He broke their kiss abruptly, leaving her feeling scorched and violated. In a voice which sent chips of ice and magma down her spine, he murmured, "Stop resisting."

_Spirits, that voice should be declared illegal_, she thought as her insides lurched and she groaned. A second later had her cursing mentally for making a sound. A seemingly wanton sound that had Law chuckling which just wasn't fair. His chuckle did bad things to her desperately fighting body.

"Let me go!" she hissed furiously, her fingers clenching even though she could not move her arms which were still pinned to her sides. "I'll fucking claw you to Verdaron! I swear!" (2)

Law merely raised a brow. "You do not like my answer, Miss Jillian?" he drawled with mock surprise.

"What are you talking about!" said dragon growled, glaring at him.

And then the underlying meaning of his words stuck her, making her mouth wordlessly in disbelief. He…he dared to kiss her to answer her_ fucking question! _Him answering a question was no excuse to maul her like this! No! Just no! This was not show-and-tell! This wasn't the time for that old stupid adage actions-speak-louder-than-words!_ Fuck that!_

Jillian could feel the rage shifting inside of her, waking up. Trafalgar Law really had some damned audacity to tread over her like this. It was too much for her to take lying down. Literally.

And thus she summoned her tail.

Law's eyes widened when she sent the scaly appendage hurtling for his head, and a second later, Jillian found herself shoved to the side. The quicksilver movement threw off her aim just enough for Law to keep his head.

Sensing that she was no longer held captive Jillian rolled to her feet, stance wide and predatory. Rage and instinct made her visibly tremble with the effort of not transforming and blasting him with her fire, but she couldn't least she kill innocents. That fact was the only one saving the Supernova at the moment. If they'd been alone…

Jillian's lips curled in a terrible snarl.

"You had_ no right _to do that," she ground out tightly, slit eyes trained on him as he rose to his feet. She took several steps back to maintain a safe distance between them, it would not do for him to try something else, she couldn't risk him pissing her off anymore than she already was. If she lost it here there would be bloodshed, innocent bloodshed.

Unreadable grey eyes took in her furious form before slanting down toward the dark scaled tail that waved in agitation behind her. With a casual shrug, "Perhaps not."

Jillian stared in muted disbelief. "P-perhaps…" She trailed off incredulously. At this point Jillian didn't _know what _to feel. She felt so many conflicting emotions that it was hard to recognize which was which. Should she be pissed at him, shocked at his sheer audacity and daring, aroused at his gall, numb because he tired her out with all his confusing manipulations, or all the above.

The Hellfire picked the most familiar, but probably the most dangerous - anger.

"_Perhaps not?!_" she abruptly shrieked. "Are you fucking kidding me!"

Law watched her with impassive eyes.

Huffing at the injustice of her life Jillian tried to compose herself enough to dispel her tail. She did so with barely restrained violence. They had enough onlookers watching them without the need for more. _Do not go for his throat, don't even think about!_

Feeling as if she was about to implode, she decided that she should leave before she did something she'd regret; like transform and kill everyone. With a scornful hiss, Jillian swiveled around intent on leaving the bastard and everything that had happened behind.

…

"So at the first taste of danger, Miss Jillian runs like a coward. I was under the impression that you had more guts than that."

Jillian stopped dead in her tracks at the smug voice. It dripped with disappointment and mockery. He was playing his head games again. Taunting her pride, hitting right where it counted, and forcing her to turn and face him.

Her breath swooshed out of her as she whirled around, tension and awareness hummed through her entire body when she realized that he had moved. Law had picked up his chair and was now sitting in it with a challenging smile that provoked her competitive side. His grey gaze bore into hers expectantly as if he were waiting for something to happen that he hoped would happen.

His words bounced around in her head, rubbing her the wrong way with their meaning and tone. Law really was an arrogant bastard. What was he waiting for? Her to sit down and continue their game? And after what he just pulled! Was he serious?

One look at him…_Damn it, he's serious!_

Trafalgar _fucking_ Law wanted her to continue playing with him.

This man was…_impossible! _

"…Fine, but if you so much as _twitch _closer to me I will be gone faster than a Sea King after blood!" Jillian growled, a hand coming up to rub at her eyes in frustration. A groan escaped her as she forcibly pulled her chair back to the table and sat down.

Two minutes later saw Law capturing one of Jillian's knights. It had her rolling her eyes and glaring off to the side. Law found it rather amusing as he decided on a question.

The Supernova smirked as an idea surfaced. "Were you the one who slaughtered the Celestial Dragon hundreds of years ago?"

Jillian jerked back at the question, eyes somewhat wide. Where had_ that _come from? Mind moving fast, Jillian stared at Law with narrowed eyes. Why would he want such a question answered? How did he even_ know _about that in the first place? It's not like the celestial shitbags advertised their black marks to the world, no they had a reputation to uphold, didn't they.

Nevertheless, she couldn't give out intimate intel to a mere human whose nose was getting a little _too close _to matters that weren't his business. With a snort, Jillian muttered, "Pass."

And then she reached across the board to block his attack on her other bishop. Jillian threw the pirate a surly curl of the lips when he smirked at her; she was coming to hate any smirk or smile that graced his face. It never failed to irritate her every time she saw it. Oh, how she wished she could_ rip it _off his face. The thought brought a smile to her lips.

Law wasn't lost on her expression of glee, it was amusing even if he sensed it was about him. Three moves later, each one a block or an advancement, saw Law taking a pawn hostage. But it was a necessary sacrifice in Jillian's mind, the only downfall was the stupid question.

"Why did I find you drowning yourself in alcohol, Miss Jillian?" Uh oh, another dangerous question. Jillian could feel the grimace tipping her lips just as she felt her stomach drop to her ankles. _Damn it!_ Why was he suddenly asking these intrusive questions! She seriously felt like she was playing dodge the bullet right now.

Closing her eyes to push back the swell of memories - the night terror - was harder than usual. Jillian attributed it to how exhausting this whole situation was making her; she was tired, strained, and very_ annoyed_. Sighing heavily, mind strangely sluggish, Jillian murmured quietly, reluctantly, "I pass."

To say Law didn't pounce on the sudden but sharp change to his wyvern's demeanor would be an understatement. He took it in with a curious tilt of the head, slightly narrowed eyes, and leaned closer to get a better look.

There was definite pain lurking behind the poker-face. How interesting that she wasn't hiding it, or was it too strong an emotion to hide? And his question had brought it on. It was easy enough to piece together; the nightmare had forced her to drink, was probably a means to quell whatever terror haunted her in her sleep. But, Law's eyes narrowed more, who was the person she'd hinted at while he'd been talking to her in the bar.

_("Don' say tha. Please, don' say tha. You's sounds like 'im.)_

Whoever this unknown individual was had somehow contributed to Jillian's nightmare. Law's jaw clenched, a curl of displeasure tightening in his chest. Sonneillon B. Jillian was _his_, and he wouldn't allow anything to damage what belonged to him. Not even her own haunts.

Grey eyes grew possessive, the glint in them foretelling of cunning and murder. Law itched to run his scalpel down Jillian's unknown terrorist, to use his Ope Ope no Mi to slice and dice and play with the pieces. The human body was fascinating to watch when under the grips of unbearable, excruciating _agony_. He would relish _every _moment of the torture. And he'd bet Jillian would too from her position _beside_ him.

_All in good time_, thought the Dark Doctor with a chilling smile.

"It's your turn, Trafalgar, stop getting lost in your sick mind." Jillian snapped irritably. She didn't like the look of absolute carnage on Law's face, nor the touch of possession in his eyes either. He better not be thinking of her with that damnable expression. Said Hellfire cursed the captain's persistence; would he ever let it go; she would _never_ join him. _I'd rather die! _

A light chastisement flickered across Law's mind at his loss of concentration. It would not happen again. He looked towards the chessboard to see that Jillian had, in fact, already made her move. Another risky move at that. Could Jillian be getting sloppy, or was the move on purpose, a trap quite possibly. A tattooed finger tapped the table thoughtfully.

"How perverse of you to maneuver me into such an impossible position, Miss Jillian," he complimented, smiling at the glare his words garnered. His smile quickly morphed into a devilish smirk, voice swimming with smooth arrogance, "Do you think I am trapped by that last move?"

Jillian's gaze rose to meet his dark stare with little more than spite and hostility. She snorted at him, lips pulling back in what Law was finding to be her usual show of irritation.

"Oh, I don't know, Trafalgar, but seeing as you haven't moved yet…Hn, are you planning your next move - or regretting your last?" The tone was sickly sweet and full of barbs, Law was supremely entertained…and on guard.

The game was slowly coming down to the wire, it would not do for him to lose his head over a possible double meaning behind one of her hooks. Law ignored her taunt; his eyes busy with studying his pieces and their positions.

Five minutes of strategic rumination resulted in another question on his part as well as a sacrificed pawn. _But now_, Law thought with confidence, _I have her right where I want her. _Grey eyes narrowed with sinister satisfaction.

Smirking deviously, Law stole her last rook, and enjoyed the hiss that caressed his ears afterward.

Just one more…

"Do you always have nightmares, _my wyvern._" Law questioned huskily.

Jillian could only blink and stare dumbly at his audacious words, especially those at the _end_. _My wyvern? My wyvern!? Hell no! I AM NOT YOURS!_

That ugly temper of hers reared its head again, her instincts with it, and she could not stop the infuriated, choked, snarl ripping from her lips. She hissed knives at him, voice guttural and dark, "Pass, and if you_ ever fucking _say that again, _Trafalgar_, I'll skin you_ alive!_"

Law, for his credit, wasn't fazed by such feral animosity; the sight of her fury made her that much more desirable. Seeing her so angry at him, her focus completely held by _him_, had Law feeling a sense of triumph that far surpassed any that had come before.

Normally, Law wouldn't suffer anyone threatening him but for this he would make an exception. Just. This. Once.

It appeared Jillian's wrath leaked into her play as her next move was overly aggressive and _vicious. _She took the field shortly after his win when she snatched another pawn that had been protecting his king. Well, that move had definitely caught him from behind, Law thought with a sort of casual detachment.

Though, upon Jillian's anticipated question he was met with slight surprise. She really didn't like him calling her that. Law chuckled softly.

"_Why the hell _do you keep asking my all these _obtrusive questions? _Stop it, _damn it! _As if I have _enough _on my _fucking plate already!_" the Hellfire bellowed angrily.

The Surgeon of Death watched silently as Jillian heaved several breaths and seemed to sag in on herself. Her eyes which had been all sorts of disdainful, annoyed, jaunty, and daring towards him now looked ancient and so very tired. He memorized the look and put it away for further study later.

Law answered the question in low, sure tones, "Because I can, and I did."

His answer froze the Wyvern Sister and she was both quiet and still for a long time. He didn't interrupt whatever was going on in that brilliant head of hers, it was enough to sit back and guess just by her expressions. A repeated one was confusion followed closely by an emotion Law couldn't identify. Interesting.

Law lowered his gaze from his intriguing crewmate and decided on his next move…and his next question.

His target was the only piece available for attack, another pawn. Funny that she kept putting pawns in his path. Law's eyes narrowed at that thought, a feeling of foreboding filling him that he quashed immediately.

With cool confidence, and a lazy smirk, Law plucked up his queen and took the kill. Jillian growled lowly, scoffed at him, and waited.

She didn't have to wait long.

The captain of the Heart pirates suddenly grew cold and commanding, his question mirroring his disposition, "Who did you mean in The Rusty Boot when you told me not to say "you will be?" You will answer me, Miss Jillian."

Jillian's reaction was explosive and immediate. She lurched backwards, her back slamming against the backrest of her chair, eyes impossibly wide and…terrified? Absolutely terrified. There was a scraping noise, Law noted, that came from Jillian's claws which were so kindly embedded in the chairs arms. Such a strong reaction to a simple question.

Whoever this person was had serious leverage over his wyvern. Law didn't like that.

"Do not make me ask again, Miss Jillian, or I will force it out of you and I promise you will not enjoy the process."

Blue-teal eyes, strangely glazed and void, rose to meet his; Law found his teeth grinding at the utter desolation buried within her eyes. Again, he didn't like what he was seeing, what he was beginning to realize.

_Miss Jillian was acting like a hunted animal._

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_

_God, please no. No, no, no! Don't ask that,_ her mind pleaded desperately.

But he had. Law had asked her **about him**.

And he wanted her to _answer_ him.

No, no, no, no. _No! _**No.**

Jillian's consciousness buckled in on itself, running away to the deepest part of her psyche. What was she running away from?

_Him_.

Oh no, not Law. He was a thorn in her side, yes, but he was just a human. Humans were mostly harmless. Law was nothing like…

She swallowed, her tongue feeling too big for her mouth.

She needed to leave,_ right now_. Jillian sucked in a quick breath and clenched trembling fingers. Slowly, shakily she rose from her chair. Hands coming down on her shoulders sent her screaming for all she was worth and she threw herself forward like a wild thing. Panic sent her scrambling for any visible escape but Law wasn't having it. With a deep frown he grabbed her again, looking determined to pull answers out of her.

Instead, the Supernova froze, grey gaze trained on something over her shoulder. Jillian felt the tension, the power burst through his tall frame a second before he was shoving her down to the ground with a curse.

That was when she heard the screaming.

_What the hell! _Oh Spirits, what was going on!

Law forced her under their table and - _oh my fucking God! _- covered her body with his an instant before a hail of gunfire exploded in her ears. She couldn't help but to cry out at the painfully loud sound. It was so very close.

Someone or _something_ was shooting at them!

Fear suddenly gripped Jillian; could it be…_him_ shooting at them? No, it wasn't his style.

Trafalgar Law used the metal table as a shield against the ambush; he did have to hand it to whoever was attacking, he'd been caught off guard. His wyvern was very dangerous it would seem, and in more ways than one. The Dark Doctor watched calmly as people around them screamed and staggered like fools in the chaos. He watched them get picked off like flies, their blood splashing across the café floor.

Damn. He'd been _so_ close, and now this. Law felt his temper rise slightly; interruptions were not tolerated, especially when it involved Jillian. Acute displeasure rattled through him. Another shudder coursed through Jillian's body and he felt it shake his ribcage. He could almost smell her fear.

His first instinct demanded he catch the fool and teach him just _why_ he was called the Surgeon of Death. Normally this would be his first action but he didn't have a shivering, terrified dragon to protect…or to keep from running off. Jaw tight with steadily growing ire Law growled, "Room."

And hissed, "Shambles," seconds later.

It was a reckless move on his part without his nodachi as a guide but at the moment Law just wanted the culprit _dead. _He hoped one of the bullets he sent back had hit the shooter in the skull. Or maybe just a graze so the idiot bled to death.

Law waited tensely for all the noise and chaos to settle. He wouldn't risk moving when under direct fire. He wasn't stupid; the shooter was close which meant retreating at the wrong moment would end with an injury. Law didn't care for the running and hiding scenario because he was a Supernova and people needed to know who they were_ messing _with.

Silence.

It was quiet, or as quiet as an ambush aftermath could be. The Dark Doctor wondered fleetingly if he'd killed the fool. A quick glance over the table showed an empty street, everyone had fled the danger zone. They were alone.

Cautiously, Law slid out from under the table, sharp eyes surveying his surroundings. Nothing so far. Frowning darkly, the irritated surgeon grabbed his nodachi from its spot against the side of his chair. Jillian was still crouched awkwardly under the table; her body was trembling, and when Law moved closer he could see the frozen fright on her face. A simple ambush couldn't have been the reason for such crippling fear, or was it something else…

_("Don' say tha. Please, don' say tha. You's sounds like 'im.)_

His frown became cold and dark when that fearful plea echoed across his mind again. With firm, short motions he bent down, grabbed one of Jillian's wrists, and tugged her out and up. She didn't fight him but that was probably a good thing. Law wasn't in the mood for any defiance. Long legs suddenly moving Law dragged a pale shaken Sonneillon B. Jillian around the side of the café, eyes never stopping as they searched for unseen dangers.

The Supernova was irritated and feeling murderous.

It was a good thing no one was around.

A terrible, ingrained fear clawed at Jillian's insides as adrenaline tore through the fog surrounding her brain. Every instinct she had was screaming for her to run, but the vice-like grip around her wrist was preventing that. Law was preventing her. Jillian's eyes narrowed, feeling the sickly terror falling away under her anger.

She'd had _enough_ of Trafalgar Law for one day.

Tired, drained, and feeling like shit, Jillian grabbed Law's arm, dug her claws in, and wrenched sideways.

"Take your fucking hand off me!" Besides a pained hiss Law ignored her. "Who the fuck do you _think you are!_ Let. Me. _Go!_" Jillian twisted and jerked and snarled until Law snapped. The brittle smile on his face meant absolutely nothing to her when she could so clearly see the silent rage churning within his grey eyes. The hand around her wrist tightened brutally as he stepped closer.

"Do you think to escape me, Miss Jillian, hm?" he hissed with icy menace. Jillian had never seen the pirate captain this furious before and shockingly enough felt her ruffled dander draining away in the face of it. The Supernova's eyes were slits of dark, jagged ice, their frigid depths freezing her from the inside out. But Law wasn't done, his temper hadn't cooled. Not even close.

With frightening strength he threw her against a brick wall, hands restraining her arms to her side, effectively pinning her there. She could only stare wide-eyed, at a loss. Her brain was shot, everything was fuzzy, and she was finding it hard to match thoughts with actions.

Hm, maybe she was so lethargic because her nose was so very—

Jillian gasped, head banging against the wall behind her when she tried jerking back. Oh shit! His scent! _His scent _was in her nose! No wonder she felt so, so _drugged! _ No, damn it! This was bad! Jillian screamed mentally in frustration. _Get away from him! Now! _What the hell was _with _this man's scent that made her feel_ so _good, so _drunk! _It was like his scent was on steroids!

Giving her mind a vicious mental kick in the ass had her senses clearing, the glaze over her eyes vanishing to be replaced with burning irritation and the remnants of fear. Her eyes snapped up to meet narrowed watchful grey ones, lips instantly peeling back over sharp canines. He was too fucking close! Did Law not understand the damnable concept of _space?_ Jillian snarled at him and threw herself into a frenzy.

One did not corner or pin Sonneillon B. Jillian.

Law watched his wyvern twist and turn like a slippery fish in an attempt to free herself. He kept quiet for the moment, sensing the fruitless effort it would be if he were to say anything, it probably wouldn't have registered anyway. The incongruity of their position wasn't lost on Law either; Jillian wasn't human, nor was she weak, in fact, Law knew that her strength would be a serious problem in future settings. And her unknown fighting style. If he was able to immobilize her without straining on his part, well, something was definitely wrong.

Then again, the signs were all there right under his nose. The heavy breathing, the jerky bodily movements, the half-lidded glare; Jillian was exhausted.

"_Why_ can't you just_ leave me the hell **alone**_**!**" Even her voice sounded sluggish and sleepy. The better for him.

Law sent Jillian a sardonic smirk, his eyes dancing mischievously, even as the glint behind them gleamed with fury "Now, now," he crooned, dropping his voice an octave or two. Jillian swallowed thickly; when taking in their proximity it was easy to _feel_ how his voice affected her. She was _delightfully _receptive to his verbal exclamations. "That's not a very nice thing to say to your _savior_, Miss Jillian."

She hisses at him, fangs bared in a feral smile of threat. "F-fuck you!"

Law's eyes darken, narrow, his smile twisting into something abominable. _Evil_. Without much warning a tan hand comes up and fists in teal hair, forcing Jillian's head to the side painfully. His sudden attack startles the Hellfire into whining at the new position but any struggle on her part is futile; Law only tightens his grip. Grey eyes glinting cruelly, Law stares his stubborn crewmate down.

Jillian can feel his gaze like that of a pulsing wound, intense and hard to ignore. She doesn't want to look at him, doesn't want to smell his addictive scent, or hear his smooth mocking voice. She wants to disappear, to hide under a rock and never have to be close to this arrogant pirate ever again. Of course, life doesn't give Jillian what she wants.

She is trapped like a rat in a corner. Swallowing, Jillian shrinks into the wall to get away. It is a pathetic move on her part but at the moment she is beyond caring. Law doesn't miss the attempt to block him out and reacts accordingly. Jillian _would_ face him, and she would face her inevitable future. So he moves closer, leaning down - because she is quite short - and rests his forehead against hers.

Jillian flinches at the contact, moaning in despair when her attempt at turning away is stopped by the tightening of his hand. Her scalp was sensitive and right now it is burning from Law's rough man-handling!

"What you will come to realize_ and accept_, Jillian, is that you belong to me," Law whispers softly, lips skimming her own with every enunciation. "_My_ dragon, _my_ subordinate, _my_ woman, _mine. _If anyone tries to keep me from you I will kill them, if _you_ try to keep _yourself _from me then I will punish you. Anything that you are involved in is now_ my _business. Your health, your life, your secrets, your scars, _all of it _is _my _business. You, Sonneillon B. Jillian, are my Hellfire Wyvern. And as your captain I expect you to obey…_every_…single… _order_ I give you. Is that understood, _my wyvern?_"

Law drew his head back then so he could meet Jillian's eyes, see her expression. He immediately recognized the emotion she was attempting to desperately hide. Fear. She was afraid of him.

The Surgeon of Death allowed himself to bask in her fear until something else caught his attention. It was very slight and he probably would've missed it had he not been so intent on staring into slits of blue-teal. Something in Jillian's gaze shifted, and from out of the shadows of her mask surfaced an emotion he could not place. Whatever it was swallowed the fear completely. The complete chaos of the emotion crashing and meshing together nearly gave him a headache. It were distorted and turbulent, lighting up her kaleidoscope eyes, so delicately lined with long aqua lashes.

Law leaned closer, his cunning mind attempting to read and interpret the change, the jumble of emotion. The churning, roiling mass of feeling abruptly stopped. Law's eyes narrowed, a sense of foreboding manifesting in his gut. Something cold slithered its way into her gaze and Law felt what could only be described as static electricity erupt over his skin. The Dark Doctor kept his eyes firmly locked with those of his dragon even when his hair stood on end.

Something… dead, inhuman, _haunted_, coalesced behind her eyes then, and he felt the strangest urge to step away from her. Like his sixth sense was warning him. Slowly, eyes of complete teal connected with his; there was no blue in the iris.

"You…," her voice was low, empty, and so very cold - bitter, grave, "are a fool. If you get near me…," Lips tilted in a tiny, heartless smile, "you will lose _everything_." Something hard and rigid slammed into Law's stomach throwing him back into the solid wall of the building behind him.

The decimated brick and stone groaned above him and crumbled, caving in on him heavily. He felt a sharp impact against his head and then his vision glazed over._ Fuck_, Law cursed darkly. And he'd been _so_ close.

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

Skulley J. Liberty's heart beat rapidly in her chest. The dull roar of blood deafening in her ears as she ran through the groves. Oh, she could have flown but she was trying to catch and follow a scent she'd only smelled once. Flying would just be a distraction. Scenting was Jillian's field of expertise, after all. She, on the other hand, had to concentrate twice as hard.

She wasn't a master tracker like Jill. But she was good enough. She _had_ to be.

Liberty had no clue how long she'd been running, nor did she care at the moment. All that blared through her hazed, panicked mind was _gotta get there, gotta get there, gotta get there. _It was a welcome mantra that enabled her to ignore the pain in her stiff, aching muscles as well as the tiredness that dragged at her bones.

She _could not _stop. The Tri-horn hated running but in this situation Lib would make an exception.

Why was she running through Sabaody Archipelago?

_The Strawhats. _She had to save them.

Lib felt her body screaming, searing at the abuse of her run but she was pushed forward by an unseen force several times stronger than pain. Something that had her sprinting through enemy territory, something that far outweighed agony or exhaustion.

The fear of loss.

_Repeated._

* * *

_Okay, tell me what you guys think! I mean it! This, even though I wrote it fast, took headaches upon headaches to write! Chess is hard to write, throw in Law, and well my brain died repeatedly over the past week. Argh! But I am alive...maybe._

_So please, **REVIEW!** XD They make everyone happier because they make me write faster. Seriously, its not math people. Don't be afraid of the box down there. It don't bite. _

_(1) - Kyosen: Lowest part of the sternum._

_ Tanchu: Middle of the sternum._

_Murasame: front points of the throat on either side, just above the collar bone._

_(2) - The Gifted form of Hell or Limbo. _


	10. This Coffin Called Brink

Ha! I return **my minions!** And I will say one thing about this chapter..._IT KICKED MY ASS!_ There is one particular scene involving our favorite red-haired psychopath that would not shut up and _write itself!_ Argh! But I have prevailed! Take _that_ Kid! Nah! Anyway, you guys better enjoy my blood, sweat, and sorry forehead; I banged it on my desk enough while writing this to give me several brain hemorrhages.

And for those I know didn't review...I AM SO SICKING LAW ON YOU! Shame on you wall flowers for being silent! As for all my lovelies AKA my regulars...Its time for**_ SHOUT__ OUTS!_**

**ThexWhitexPhoenix:** Thank you! Short, sweet, and a marvelous ego-booster! XD Though, there are far better written stories than mine...*Modest smile*

**10th Squad 3rd Seat: **All bow down to the awesomeness that is Law. And then run when he smirks at you! But yes, Devils Chess Game is my baby! Really my first try at writing Law's intelligence. It was a brain killer for sure but fun nonetheless. XD

**kshi1205: **Ah, another firstie! Hello! Best OC story, eh... :3 You make me soo happy! I hope you turn into a regular! I really do! Enjoy the chapter!

**lunamirror: **You know, I really don't know what to comment on. It's all freaking awesome! Every word! Hmm, Law dipped in chocolate. *Drowns in drool* Though, I am curious to see your thoughts on who 'he' is. *Sniggers and looks down on new chapter* But anyway, I am doubly looking forward to your next review! They are like an energy boost for me!

**sam: **Hello again! Glad to see you back! Hehe! The chess scene KILLED me. But I am so, so, so freaking glad that you confirmed it wasn't a complete fail! Law is a goddamn genius so its hard for us authors to accurately write him sometimes. But thank you! XD

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan: **Yeah, imagine me writing it! I had to stop so many times to cool down! How many authors get creeped out by their own stories! Or is it just Law? Hmmm... I like the fact that you pointed out Law getting knocked out. Even if we girls see him as God-like in hotness he is still human.

**Girl-luvs-manga: **Yup, and they will continue to be persistent! I almost feel sorry for my characters...almost. *cackles evilly* But I don't see it. I seriously don't see how Jillian is submissive.

**Greawenn: **Kid and Liberty will make an appearance don't you worry!

**Tough Chick: **Kid doesn't stop her but something else does. *Smiles secretively*

* * *

Wow, slap me for writing a long author note. Onwards minions! Feast on the new chapter you gluttonous little readers. *Grins* Okay I'll shut up now.

**Chapter 9: This Coffin Called Brink**

_"What if I just tried not to_

_remember? Would it matter_

_at all? Still stuck inside this_

_sorrow. All the chances that_

_have passed me by, would it_

_matter if I gave it one more_

_try? Would it matter at all?_

**Would it matter by Skillet**

_Wherever it was, it was cold. Frigidly so._

_Walls of black stone towered over sharp, jagged cliffs which resembled the gaping maw of some hideous beast. The foreboding barrier guarded a looming citadel made of the same material. A putrid mixture of soot, ash, and water rained down over the colossal structure that stood like a gargoyle in the torrent of filth. This was a place of ugliness, rot, and __**decay. Death.**_

_The citadel itself was no more better looking than the cliffs below; both held the same distorted angles and dark gloominess of the other. The suffocating atmosphere lingered like a poisonous cloud over the twisted spirals of the upper levels, and gave the sense of unrelenting unapproachability. The building itself was an impenetrable fortress though not from its many grotesque defenses but from its __**location.**_

_And all but two existed within this monster of stone and shadow._

_The upper corridors of the architectural behemoth, as commanded, lay empty and silent around him. Just as he liked it. Silence and solitude were welcome companions when he desired time for thoughtful contemplation. On the lower levels and barracks, movement no doubt continued much as it always had, but when he felt the urge to walk his corridors unnoted and alone his servants and slaves found innumerable reasons to occupy themselves elsewhere. Not that they had any choice in the matter._

_Their wills, their very __**souls**__ were __**his**__ to command. _

_Yet, on this night of foul tempest he walked with a destination in mind. A purpose. _

_He paused then, sleek form of shadow and silk standing in front of an alcove where a large oak door loomed. There was a flickering light seen escaping the confines of the room beyond from under the door. A fire. _

_The door opened and he sauntered in. His right hand sat slouched on a settee face turned toward the roaring fireplace. Without a greeting he took his seat, stretching long powerful legs out, and turned to watch the fire also. A curious thing fire was, he thought shortly. _

_Idly, a hand, bone-white pale, reached to the side and clasped a wine glass. It was already full and cool to the touch, even more so when he came into contact with the fragile glass of the cup. _

_"Everything is going according to plan. All the humans are in position, like pathetic flies they are. __**Ha! **__I almost pity the poor weaklings. Poor little humans, poor little __**pawns**__. But I do so love playing with them. Heh, if only they lasted longer than I could have some __**real**__ fun." simpered the right hand around a demented grin._

_"And what of my Jineiia and Sklestia?" He asked after a slow slip of wine._

_The right hand waved a hand at his expectant companion and scoffed. "Haven't seen them at all. They went up like smoke, they're off my radar. I think they're either getting smart or…they're planning something."_

_Slit eyes narrowed as they stared into red flame. "I would not expect nothing less from them. They are magnificent." The last word dripped with untold longing and possession. _

…_**An unbearable thirst.**_

_The right hand suddenly shifted, broad form tensing slightly. "You've been teasing me with this for a long time. How do you know it will flush them out? Huh, cause the way __**I**__ see it there'll be a lot of humans and __**they **__don't care for them. How do you know they'll show up at all?"_

_A calculating smile touched soft lips and slit eyes gleamed with the thrill of the hunt. "They will show for their own brethren, make no mistake. They won't…be able…to__** resist**__."_

_"Resist…? Oh, you bloody fucking scoundrel! Wait, how the hell are you going to get him there?"_

_Lips quirked cruelly. "Do not ask me stupid questions." _

_The right hand rolled his eyes at the arrogance, though it was well deserved. "Whatever. How's the search going?" _

_Slit eyes flickered and the surrounding atmosphere grew icy. A low, displeased voice, "She has hid it well." The second-in-command did not bring it up again._

_Silence. The crackling of wood and fire._

…

_"And the second plan?"_

_A contemplating frown touched pale lips. _

_Then he smiled, fangs bared, and cold dead purple eyes lit up with terrifying ambition._

_"We need a catalyst."_

_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_

She was pathetic. Completely, absolutely _pathetic_. After all that running - so much running - she'd been too late, too terrified, too _weak_ to do anything. _Nothing! _And for_ what? _A stupid memory? A past she swore would never grace her mind** ever **again. A past that would stay locked away in its blood soaked closet. And yet at the first bit of remembrance she'd crumbled like clay beneath ones finger. Like a startled deer she'd frozen under the shock, under the horror of watching them _disappear._

And now they were gone.

…_The Strawhats._

Gone with the swipe of a paw.

Just like that.

_Dead. Dead, dead, dead, __**dead!**_

And she hadn't lifted a finger to save them. _Worthless! _It echoed in her mind, lingered like cobwebs and shadows. Whisper, repeat, whisper, repeat…on and on and on. But she deserved the desolation that gripped her and the pain that speared her breast at hearing that one _damning_ word. Dead. The Strawhats _were dead_. Despair overwhelmed her and she fell back against the tree whose bark had caught her thrown body not five hours earlier. Liberty clenched her hands until they went white around the knuckles.

The despair heightened when her gaze settled on the blood speckled ground where Luffy, one-of-a-kind Strawhat Luffy, had collapsed after seeing his crew…

Lib's chest constricted painfully. And not just because she was horrified beyond her centuries at what she'd witnessed but because she could relate; Skulley J. Liberty knew _exactly_ what Luffy had felt in that moment of all-consuming devastation. In that moment when realization hits and the ache of loss cements itself beneath your ribcage.

Liberty knew that feeling, knew that ache all too well. Humans were wrong, they were too naïve when it came to the realm of emotion. Time would never heal the pain, the sheer anguish of loss. It might lessen the ache that festered within the chest but it would never go away. And now she would have to carry a new ache beside the old.

It was her fault.

A soft sob escaped. The sting of tears followed not a minute later. She'd been fighting it for the past five hours but even Lib couldn't hold off emotional pain forever. She didn't have the heart to, nor the motivation to. Rather Lib felt empty yet not. She felt that coil of agony twisting in her chest, the cold despair in her stomach, and frigid regret in her mind.

One of the worst things people don't realize in the aftermath of something truly horrifying is the recollection. The strained mind can't help but to replay the events even if they were mentally scarring. And for Liberty…

Screaming. Terrified, desperate screaming.

She could not stop the flinch that shook her body, or the swell of despondency that curled around her heart. Lib closed her eyes tightly, throwing her head side to side in a desperate attempt to quell the screaming.

_Please…no more. I am sorry. I am so very sorry_. She brought her hands to her face and quietly sobbed. She no longer cared for the tears that dripped from her face.

_¨°º¤ø„¸ Flashback¸„ø¤º°¨ _

_She ran under the boughs of the mangroves without thought or conscious. The façade of humanity had bowed before that ancient primal essence found within every dragon; instinct. It thrummed inside of her like a live thing and she accepted its intrinsic guidance whole-heartedly. Liberty needed speed in this mad run of desperation. In this time of hourglasses and limitations she could afford nothing that would slow her down. _

_She could not __**fail. **__She could not let it happen __**again. **_

_The ground muddied her bare feet as she sprinted over it, and it was cold, frigid even, but where the biting wind reached in to chill her skin a flicker of steam rose up to meet it, flushing her nerves with molten heat__**. **__Not even the icy air nor the cold, hard ground could stop her from following __**that scent. **_

_The scent of meat._

…_Luffy. The Strawhats._

_Liberty tracked that scent with a sort of relentless frenzy that betrayed her absolute terror. And she did feel terror, it burned beneath her breast with horrifying intensity. It caused her insurmountable pain - familiar pain - but the motivation, the sheer reckless drive it granted only pushed her forward. Faster, faster, faster. _

_Liberty chanted those words like a pray as she threw herself after that elusive scent. A scent that heightened her terror with every step_…_because it smelled sour, smelled fearful and desperate and anguished. Every time she inhaled it would be there clogging her nostrils and pricking the lock to her closet. Her blood soaked closet. _

_But the lurking monster in her memories only meshed with the prowling terror of her situation. The two rolled together in her strained mind, became one, and latched onto her sanity. The dense ball of mental torment fueled her adrenaline, made her run faster. _

_Yet, for all the emotions and their effect she felt_…_slow. It was as if she were moving through tar where there was only air, but it was air that fought her, pressed against her, and pushed her away from her goal. _

_Despite this frustrating obstacle Liberty continued onward. Over flat ground, over rocks, bridges, through hidden caves, under roots, and ponds; nothing stood in her way. _

_Because it wasn't just a rescue mission. It had __**never**__ been a rescue mission. _

_The only difference_…_? She was alone and there would be __**no **__savior this time for her. No one would be there to catch her if she fell. If she __**failed. **_

_Liberty had no understanding of time - her run was seemingly perpetual, unending. But her body, her human shell, trembled and shook with the pace of her movement. The misery of such strain dragged and bit and burned at her limbs. She would hiss at the inevitable pain as a muscle ripped and tore. She howled and cursed when pain turned to agony, nerves screaming and searing at the abuse._

_But she never stopped. No, she never stopped because memory, and that pulsing familiar ache in her ribcage pulled her forward. Drove her instinctively toward a tragedy. A tragedy she would avert. _

_Halfway across the span of a grassy meadow, she fell, skidding on her knees and then forward onto her hands. The hot sting that came with skin bursting open against gravel was just another pain on the pile of anguish. Just another obstacle to overcome._

_She could not fail._

_But as she fell and hit the ground, never, never did she stop moving. It was with a whiff at the air that she loosed herself like a fleeing arrow, away into the surrounding groves, away and after that scent. _

_Faster than was possible, faster than any human could move, she moved, because the mangroves weren't just silent anymore. No, her sharp ears could hear them. And it was just another agony spearing her heart, opening that blood soaked closet._

_Screaming, there was __**screaming. **_

_Liberty felt the rising of a tide in her innermost self, beyond her skin, deeper than her body. A sort of frozen stillness. The screaming was opening something, pushing her to an edge that her defenses could not contain. The past was surfacing, welling like blood from a fresh wound. It had her mentality shrinking in on itself, terrified. _

_She was hurling herself forcefully through the underbrush now. The mantra of please, please, please was deafening in her ears. But something pierced the din of her inner chanting, freezing her heart, her veins, and her sanity._

_Even in the thrall of her own instincts, Liberty's eyes shot sideways, stared past rocks and giant tree trunks. She knew that voice - it was - it was -_

(_ROBIN!)_

_It was Luffy._

_Oh God, he was in pain. He was suffering. His scent was drenched with it._

_Her body gave an involuntary twitch in response to what she heard, and smelled. Then she entered the clearing - entered chaos_…_and froze. The huge glade was empty, horribly empty except for three people._

_Liberty stood on a knoll between two mangroves and stared, feeling everything and nothing. Emotion brimmed through her pores, dripped from her eyes, fell from her lips, urged her forward. But she didn't move. She was immobilized by the sight before her, the horror of_…

_Three becoming two._

**(**_**ROBIN!)**_

_Luffy's desolation was hers. Yet, her sense of loss - of __**his**__ loss - was still deeper. It was familiar. Oh so familiar. But it was all wrong, completely wrong to see Luffy, fun and energetic Strawhat Luffy, on his knees in tears. Tears of excruciating shock and pain. Tears of unspeakable sadness. Tears of loss. _

_He'd lost his crew. His family, his friends. Just like her._

_It was wrong. Liberty's jaw clenched, wide eyes paling in the face of Luffy's breakdown. She couldn't describe the utter anguish that consumed her in waves of mind-numbing horror. She could not name the frigid shaking of her body as she watched, motionless and in shock, as Luffy wailed and thrashed on the ground. Bile, sour and burning rose in her throat at the sight._

_His fists were bloodstained, his forehead even more so. He was screaming_…

_Oh Spirits, he was screaming! Brown-teal eyes widened further; the blood soaked closet was creaking open, memories of __**that **__night creeping forward. _

_Then she was the one screaming when they lunged for her._

(..._You're exhausted_...

_She wasn't._

_She couldn't be._

..._They're dead_...

_No. No._

..._Stop it_..._They're gone_..._They're gone_...

_They were __**not **__gone!_

_Lies!_

_Blood didn't lie._

_They weren't!_

_Her chest ached. Her heart was throbbing again. But she pushed on. She plowed on._

_She wasn't going to break._

..._there's nothing you can do_...

_She went on._

_Like a crazed woman, she pushed and pushed, willing the energy inward. Willing some small, miraculous heartbeat. Even when it was long gone. Even when everything was already too cold, too empty. Too still. Not even a whisper of synergy. None. _

_Too dead._

_She sobbed hopelessly. The burn in her chest causing her to retch and gag. _

_She pushed and pushed. More energy, more life into lifeless bodies. Three in number._

_She pushed and pushed._

_Stared into lifeless blue eyes._

_And tried very hard not to break.)_

_Agonized eyes of teal and brown rose, glassy and pained - so much pain - and met those of another; a kindred spirit. Luffy stared at her, tears still streaming down his bruised face. His tortured expression mirrored his gaze. They were united in their suffering. _

_But only Liberty had felt the unbearable hollowness before. And it showed in her features; the sallow planes of her face, the dull haunted look in her eyes, and the strained expression foretold of a past better left forgotten._

_If only it would __**stay**__ forgotten._

_Suddenly the ground shook ever so slightly. Liberty felt it as she was sensitive to such things and looked up. Terror seized her, choked her, made her scramble and scream._

_Bartholomew Kuma. The real one. Oh Spirits! _

_No. No! NO! Not him. Not Luffy! _

_He was going for Luffy! He was going to_…_! _

_"NO!" She screamed it, threw it at the warlord with vicious desperation. Her limbs staggered in an effort to propel her forward. With a snarl she changed, claws digging into the soil, tail catapulting her form like a bullet. A bullet right at Bartholomew Kuma. She would __**kill him!**_

_"YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM!" She roared, fangs bared with feral hatred. She __**hated**__ this man, this warlord, this taker of lives. Of happiness. _

_But desperation made her senseless, and sloppy. Or maybe it was the tears obscuring her vision that threw off her aim. _

_Bartholomew Kuma smacked her right into a tree. _

_Everything became grey and white at that point. The pain - emotional and crippling - that had been held back by adrenaline and rage returned in full force, making her cry out. _

_She slid down the rough bark with a groan, body slumping bonelessly to the ground. Through hazed over eyes Lib watched, helpless and losing consciousness, as Luffy's life was stolen away with the mere swipe of a paw. _

_Gone._

_Just like that._

_Liberty's throat contracted painfully and her insides suddenly felt so dreadfully hollow. Icy and hollow at her failure. Again. _

_She sobbed as the darkness took her. _

_¨°º¤ø„¸ End of flashback¸„ø¤º°¨ _

Bartholomew Kuma stood silently in the clearing; his eyes, hidden behind dark sunglasses, stared down at the Wyvern Sister with something akin to regret. He did regret his actions but it was necessary for the survival of Monkey D. Dragon's son. They would have never lived through a confrontation with Kizaru. The Strawhats were strong, their captain was one of the Eleven Supernova but they were still rookies.

Still wet behind the ears.

Kizaru would've slaughtered them.

And so he'd been called to rectify the situation.

Bible held snugly in one hand the Warlord of the Sea turned and walked away.

Quiet, pained words, "_I am sorry_."

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

Everything was swathed in obsidian darkness; an endless black abyss that swallowed any and all forms of light. The plane of nothingness convulsed and fragmented in on itself without warning. Shards of murky white pierced through the veil causing the dark chasm to tremble at its edges before it crumbled completely. The haze of slumber slowly conceded to the burgeoning light of renewed consciousness.

Awareness struggled to reclaim its sovereignty over sense and body, beating back the darkness of sleep and nightmares with an instinctual panic. Skulley J. Liberty regained cognizance sluggishly, though she was still very much asleep. The senses of a Gifted had two settings: waking sense which garnered immediate response and slumbering sense where information was stored during sleep to be processed later.

Oh, if only she were human. Liberty could've woken without horror, pain, and_ regret_. Sharp, _sharp _regret. Her body, namely her back ached and throbbed for reasons she was running from unconsciously. This refusal to face reality had the glaze of slumber and darkness creeping back. It was because Lib's mind was in that cloudy, discombobulated state that the pain pulsing against her skin took longer to register on her synapses. But reality would not be denied.

External stimulus, within minutes of Lib drifting off, drained the ink away and penetrated the gulf of the Tri-horn's mind. And this time there was no escape, no place Liberty could hide in the deeper recesses of her psyche.

It was not a graceful awakening.

Upon opening eyes of teal and brown said Gifted squinted at her surroundings…promptly clutched her stomach, retched, and screamed into the silence around her. It was only once but Lib honestly thought her vocal cords would bleed by the end of it. The scream tapered off into ragged, gasping sobs.

Skulley J. Liberty curled into a ball, buried her face into her knees and wept. The mantra of _failure, failure, failure_ ringing loudly, tortuously though her mind.

_I am a __**failure! **_

The vice around her heart twisted and tightened at the mental cry. Lib did not deny it, didn't even try. It was true, so true in fact that she felt it like brand upon her skin. A tattoo of disgrace that would _never_ leave her. And now, _now_ that brand seethed deeper into her skin, searing away at her flesh, at her sanity for her second atrocity. Her second failure.

Thoughts, doubts, regrets, and _whys_assaulted her in her state of vulnerability. _Especially_ the whys. Oh, the whys were evil little whispers which invoked helpless hope and hopeless self-hatred.

…_Why didn't I save him…?_

…_Why did I freeze…?_

…_Why didn't I fight harder…?_

…_Why did I lose myself to my past…?_

_Why! Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhy!_

_**Why!**_

Tears burned in Lib's eyes, her throat constricting and for a moment, an _instant _she couldn't handle the pain. It was too much, too fast, too all-consuming. The raw, bleeding, shredded hole her past had managed to punch through her chest into her very soul smoldered with every intake of breath. The agony was like a live thing wiggling, squirming, and writhing; it sent her stomach flipping sickeningly. Violent nausea had her vision reeling and blurring horribly.

Liberty would've hurled her guts had there been anything in there to begin with. But that didn't stop her from dry heaving. Her throat contracted, clenching brutally, until she felt like one more breath might snap her spine and send her body into death throes.

In some small selfish part of Lib's mind she wished it would. This pain…she couldn't stand this pain! Yet, she deserved it. She failed and now…- Spirits, she couldn't…

Eyes closing Lib shook her head furiously; she wouldn't say it, she _couldn't. _Because it would make it_ real. _And Skulley J. Liberty didn't like reality. Reality was cruel, it took away without mercy, and left you with pieces of yourself missing.

She'd lost so much and here it was stealing more from her.

_He stole something from me._

That hollow hole of icy loss panged agonizingly around the edges; it was a gaping wound where her heart used to be.

_He stole something from me._

Pain, unadulterated and overwhelming, froze her, stunned her, pierced her with hot knives. Her mind swirled with horrifying notions and Liberty was unprepared for the merciless retaliation to her denial. A mixture of fear and shock and horror kept the screams from forming but not the thoughts. Not the thoughts. Those breached her sanity relentlessly, unbidden and unwanted and so very excruciating that they scored Lib's soul and disrupted her synergy.

Her precious synergy was wrought with chaos and agony. Her essence in complete disarray and she was paying for it both in mind and body. A dragon was a creäture of balance and harmony. If they lost that equilibrium…

Well, excruciating didn't even cover it.

And her thoughts weren't helping. No, at the moment they were the purest form of evil to Lib. Because—

_Luffy was dead and she'd done nothing, absolutely __**nothing**__ to save him!_

Oh yes, her thoughts were evil. Evil for making her face reality, for making it _real. Failure, failure, failure._

She was a failure. She couldn't protect anything.

Liberty choked on a sob, eyes closing fruitlessly; there was no blocking out the pain, the hollow in her chest. It had been there for centuries and it would stay there for later centuries. A silent, painful reminder for her folly. Her failure.

Whimpering at her thoughts Lib shrank in on herself. She did her best to endure through the misery, the pain of desolation and disruption. The Tri-horn, safe to say, sat there for hours in cold shock, ruthless agony, and brittle perseverance. And even though she sat, face dripping with tears of shame, and self-hatred hot in her breast, never, never did she give in to the lonely pits of oblivion. Never did she succumb to the emotions of tragedy.

Because the blade of reality had already struck her.

_He stole something from me._

Had already thrust her into Verdaron.

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

By the time Liberty left the clearing black ink had already stained the blue canvas of the sky. There was no moon, therefore the darkness clung to everything like dust in a village. The grove she walked through was dank, dirty, and smelled of refuse, filth, and sweat. She was numb, too numb to care for the scents burning her sensitive nostrils. The pain born of her senses was insurmountable against the eerie hollowness in her chest. The grief that had stolen her mind mere hours before had now dwindled into a gulf of torpid feeling.

Her mind was blank, her heart silent, and only instinct pushed her body forward. To what destination was lost in the void that was Skulley J. Liberty. As night came to reign, and light stole away to another realm until dawn, the dark side of Sabaody Archipelago crawled from its sick cage. This grove she had wandered into did not share the extravagant architecture, pompous atmosphere, or excited happiness that covered the isle like a thick duvet. It was the underbelly, the underground where all the rot filtered down into.

Poverty ruled where Celestial Dragons dare not tread.

The lonely beggars who dogged the streets by day had recoiled back to the shadows to count their coin, and muggers and whores took their place, taking posts near the taverns and alleys. Waiting. Always waiting for the next victim, the next client. Like wolves stalking a wounded fawn.

Lib saw this as she walked the streets, too-large clock hiding what not must be seen. _I am not one you, _she thought numbly, _nor am I prey. I am something that stands apart from the world of mortality. Something untouched by human bloodshed and tears._

The thought bled into her subconscious, a quiet plea to her rationale. It might have been a bid to reason away the numbness dragging her down, stealing away her façade of normality and replacing it with something no living being should witness.

…_Reality…_

Now…now she sauntered - a stranger - through this place of squalor and misery, like a ghost, touching nothing, seeing all. And in such a listless state she did see all; had Liberty been her usual self her reaction would've been a lot more vocal and a lot more expressive. It was a parallel really Lib realized upon turning into an alley. Was this how Jillian felt day in and day out? This unfathomable emptiness, a literal void in the depths of dragonic emotion. Liberty would have been horrified at herself for such lack of feeling, yet she continued through the alley with nothing but a small frown and bloodshot eyes.

She passed those who stood on street corners, shivering in the cold as they sought to bare enough flesh to wrangle anyone looking for a few minutes of release. They were all young, spirits broken and hopeless desolation etched into their very skin. Soulless husks, shells with nothing left but beaten down fragments of what used to be pretty willful human beings.

_And still men pay for them, _hissed Lib mentally, disgust and pain laced through the thought, a bit of her usual self showing. But the answer to the silent _why_ to her statement was obvious.

…Because humans were _cruel._ Because in the end whoring was not about pleasure but about feminine degradation, the pleasure not so much a thing of the flesh but of power; the knowledge that your coin can buy a woman, can render her at your mercy for however long. It was a heartless, vicious cycle. One that Lib knew all too well from her centuries of existence and her decades of living close to mankind. The men of humanity were beasts, more so than her in her true form.

At least, _she_ wasn't cruel in her true form. Emotions like anger, fury, and hatred were feelings she left to Jill. They just didn't sit well with her; she would rather feel happy, feel something light and fluffy than something that weighed like tar and was just as black. Liberty _liked_ happiness,_ liked _joviality, and contentment.

She passed a few taverns, her nose a bundle of abused nerves from all the stale sweat, rank ale, reeking foulness that pervaded over such establishments. It nearly made her gag and retch more than once. The utter disgust that washed through her like waves upon a shore brought forth a restlessness inside her that she had no name for, something that evolved from sheer aversion and repugnance.

Actually witnessing the dredge of society, the moral destruction of mankind, the base instincts of monsters for which trapped girls had no escape was _heartbreaking_. This world of teary-eyed women and hungry lustful men had real emotion pulsing through the empty haze of Liberty's mind. This horrible world she'd walked into was her awakening from numb thoughtless wandering.

There was silent anger at the injustice of it all, horror at the reality of it, and sadness,_ terrible sadness_, at the hopelessness of so many lives ruined. So much purity tainted and innocence stolen. Such an atrocity would get any dragon sent to Verdaron _**immediately**_**. **

This was her reverie when the sound of a door to a tavern suddenly banged open and a group of men staggered out into the muddy street. Their smell was _horrific _on so many levels; it had nausea attacking her senses before she ever saw them. The wave of drunken breath laden with stale beer preceded them in a powerful gust, and for a moment it was all she could do not to vomit. Lib grimaced sickly and pivoted on her heel intent on getting as far away from the place as possi—

—but a hand fell on her cloaked shoulder and forcibly whirled her around, yanking her cloak and shirt open at the same time. The sound of ripping fabric rang shrilly in Lib's ears as her garment tore open down her chest, baring the inner curve of a breast. Baring _too_ much.

"_See!_" shouted the man who had grabbed her, hands gesturing to those watching. The drunken idiot was a burly, robust man who faintly smelled of urine and shit; Lib chose to think no more on his origins fearing for the contents of her stomach. "I toldja 'he was a girl!"

That silent anger coiled like a snake in Liberty's gut. Dangerous, very dangerous. It seethed and spat and hissed; instinct steadily raising to the threat. No one, not even Lib herself, was aware of slit eyes brightening over with teal, a flicker of something else present. Something green, a streak of color. Though it was gone before anyone could look for it had they known of its existence.

These men did not have a clue what manner of fire they were playing with. It wasn't…_mortal_.

Eyes alight with turquoise, the glint in them smoldered with something deeper than rage; Liberty was approaching the precipice. Slowly…inching…forward. With novel self-control the Tri-horn pulled the pieces of her attire back to her. As luck would have it some of the men gasped upon finally noticing the strange display of color. Glowing color. As drunk as they were some heeded the natural instinct telling them to _back off. _Yet, the majority were far too intoxicated to recognize the sight for what it was. Or for who it was.

The only thing that spared the sow fuckers was the small rational part of Lib's brain. It was ever adamant in the ways of self-preservation and any retaliation would bring attention to her presence and right now Lib did not want to deal with_ anyone. _With a scoff befitting Jillian the Tri-horn turned on her heel to leave but a meaty fist pulled her back, this time nearly ripping her off her feet.

…_Oh hell no!_

If you were smart you did not _shove_ Skulley J. Liberty. _Three strikes your out, asshole!_

Out, indeed.

"What's the matter, whore? Our company not good enough for you? Eh, we can definitely _make_ it good enough!" One of the older rats sniggered through blackened teeth, pale eyes glittering sickly. They were starting to surround her now, some deliberately, some just following blindly because they were too drunk to do anything else. Something trembled inside, snapped, grew heated, and_ melted. _The sensation had Lib stiffening. It suffused her veins, her body, and caused a curious fluctuation deep within her synergy. Her soul.

Something…something was_ there._

A filthy hand suddenly caught her around the chin; she smacked it away sharply with a hiss. _Don't you fucking touch me! _The message was clear and everyone understood the warning. Though understanding and accepting were too entirely different concepts; none of the men accepted the warning. Oh no, they were picking up speed with their new _conquest._

"C'mon you little slut! Why don't you bend that sweet ass and put on a lil show for us?" Another fluctuation. This time there was the slightest shifting from within; the Mind Flow was warping…blistering…

One of the men grew impatient and grabbed her from behind. He jerked Lib back hard, intending to pull her flush against him. Liberty had seen the move many times over the centuries, it was vulgar and plain _pissed her off! _Just as she was about to snatch one of her bone needles for some payback another pig grabbed her arm. She wrenched herself free with a snarl, however another reached for the collar of her shirt, his wolfish grin reeking of putrid beef and ale. The abrupt onslaught of grasping scoundrels shocked Lib's strained desolate mind.

_Too many. Too many, too fast! Too many hands, too many directions! Who am I supposed to attack, kill, or maim! Too many! _The mental cry was desperate and hysterical. Lib was at the end of her rope. Her poisoned needles only worked as fast as she could throw, jab, and stab them! Even as she drove back one molester another fucking one would take his place, all part of a tidal wave of disgusting, leering male flesh that threatened to overwhelm—

And then, without warning, the Synergy exploded outward, power surged up inside her, raging with such force that it left her breathless. It was an uncontrollable fire that roared through her deepest most private of energies. Fear, despair, defiance, and hatred seared her soul as it burst through her pores like lava out of a volcano. She screamed with the fury of it; hot magma rage, centuries in the making, centuries of slumber finally _triggered._

Liberty visibly shook as it swept through her, it was more powerful than anything she had ever felt before, and she could not control it. Could not control the unbearable fiery rage that drowned her, cradled her, eclipsed her until there was nothing but primal dragonic feeling. The force of it blinded her, turning everything in her sight a bright red - blood-red - and as the hot dizzying emotion blazed through her veins she thought she could feel the presence of a distant heartbeat that was driving it.

Then it subsided, after what felt like an eternity of burning, the roaring wildfires of synergistic power cooled and vanished. That strange trembling deep within her soul quelled, the heat centered in her chest dispersed and she found herself able to breathe again. Blinking somewhat lethargically, Liberty swallowed and waited for the veil of redness to wash away from her vision. Her attention refused to focus on anything for the first twenty seconds but it came back steadily. Blinking again, Lib wondered if the strange power surge - _whatever the hell it was! _- had actually done something, or simply been the dragonic equivalent of a scream of rage.

_What the hell just happened!?_

Silence. Eerie silence.

The street was quiet, hushed of any noise. It was as if something had spooked sound into fleeing…

Liberty was either too out of it to be disturbed or she was distracted. It was the latter; the men weren't standing around her like hungry vultures. _Where'd those scumbuckets go? _Licking her lips because they were suddenly too dry for her liking Liberty shook her head to clear it of any lingering fuzz, struggling to regain sense and vision. She froze.

Too bright eyes widened. This smell…

_Burning flesh._

The scent of charred flesh hung thick in the air, it would've been revolting had Lib _not _been a Gifted. But the intensity of the scent was disconcerting. She looked down…and gasped. There were _things _on the ground. Smoldering, sizzling like the dying embers of a fire. They were man-sized. What the _hell_ was going on!? What were these things, these piles of flesh so twisted they were _unrecognizable._

…_Unrecognizable._

The realization hit without pause or mercy. _Shit, fuck, fire! I…I did this? But I'm not a volcanic breed! I __**can't do **__this! _Emotion welled up inside Liberty then, it curled around her throat and clenched tightly. It could've been shock, horror, fear, revenge, or happiness; Lib honestly couldn't tell.

Bodies. Disturbingly distorted bodies. Crushed bodies. Parts of bodies melted like hot iron. Bodies like grotesque liquefied dolls that someone had thrown into an oven. One man - one of the more recognizable culprits - was frozen in the act of screaming; his face was charred black with half of it resembling a watery canvas. Another lay twisted in ways no mortal body should ever be twisted-…his bones were still steaming. If one looked close enough they could see remnants of his flesh dripping from his scorched skeletal system. Bone, cartilage, organs, tissues; all of it was either melted in some way or smashed beyond recognition.

Skulley J. Liberty wasn't a violent dragon. She didn't _think _herself one either. Though when the time came to defend herself and those precious to her violence was welcomed. Of course, she'd poison, dismember, and torch those who dared threaten her or her friends but this…this was _not her!_

This was a _massacre_. Heartless, unfeeling, and without mercy. She wasn't _**any **_of those! This was…_Oh spirits! I…I'm __**not**__ heartless! I'm not!_

With a cry of hysteria Lib bolted. She had to get away! _She had to!_ Intolerable horror and sickness welled up inside of her and she staggered under the force of it, staggered away from the carnage, not caring where she went as long as it was far away from that terrible place. All the mind-numbing rage and magma fury was gone from her veins, gone from her soul, replaced by an icy shock. _What have I done? What did I do?_

She could hardly think straight, could hardly even _remember _what had happened. There were men, perverted scum, who'd gotten a little too bold in their actions and then she'd felt anger and desperation and then…there was nothing.

There was a literal _blank spot _in her memory. Those who were Gifted didn't simply _forget_ things. That fact had her more scared than anything.

But right now she needed to get away; this time she could not be distracted by fear. _She had to get away! _Getting away from those bodies was all that mattered to her at the moment. Getting to a place where the air didn't smell like burnt flesh, the ground wasn't littered by puddles of syrupy body parts, and where walls and dirt weren't splattered with blood and entrails.

Finally, exhausted both mentally and emotionally, Liberty stopped running. Her legs were trembling and her body all around felt sore, far more sore than it should actually. Feeling vulnerable and exposed was not a good sensation. Hence, Liberty searching for someplace to rest and maybe get a bit of sanity back. Maybe.

_Thank the Spirits it was night!_ Else she would've had the problem of anonymity on her hands. At least, this deep in the lawless grove there were no marines skulking about nor many people for that matter. It was a small miracle to Liberty. Even more of a miracle were the shops that were still open whereas in other groves markets promptly closed upon sunset.

Liberty thanked the Spirits for giving her a saving grace. A bookstore. She rushed to the scent of old leather, parchment, and ink. It smelled like_ sanity._

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Kid could remember the few instances where he'd been shocked or surprised by something that had taken him off guard. He could count them on two hands because, well, sailing the Grand Line wasn't some mundane journey, however, _never _had he been struck with an emotion for which he had no name. The presence that had appeared, taken his senses captive, had ripped him from his composure before he was even conscious of what he was seeing. How funny it was to find what he so coveted when he was not seeking it in the first place.

Eustass "Captain" Kid had only been walking off the headache that had blown in from the idiosyncrasies of his crew. Namely, the feats of two moronic brothers. Oh, they were lucky Kid was smart enough to know losing their expertise so far in the game was dangerous; they would've been dead if it had been different. So to cool off the fires of his temper he'd left to go skulk the night, red eyes scouring the dark streets for any poor soul stupid enough to be out. It was with no small amount of surprise that Kid stalked right into something that frankly stopped him dead in his tracks.

And _very_ few things could stop _him_, a Supernova, promptly. At first glimpse he'd immediately sought to retrieve what he perceived to be his; Skulley J. Liberty. More than one headache had been the cause of her continued freedom. So he had prepared to rectify the problem with her capture whether she struggled against him or not. And with the knowledge spun from a single needle Kid was certain he could evade any in the near future. He would not have his pride trampled on by being taken down by some _fucking poison _a second time. _Fuck no!_

The captain had sneered and snarled at the fact that he'd been defeated so easily, discarded and dismissed so carelessly; yet, he wasn't so arrogant to not learn from his mistakes. He wasn't so arrogant to not admit - in the quiet of his own mind - that his last encounter with the Gifted had ended by the means of his own making. He'd been cocky and drunk off the power that would soon be under his command. A legendary creature, a myth telling of mystery and power, under_ his _command. Just the thought had sent him into thralls of possessive excitement. Which had been his first mistake that had cost him. But no longer would he let his own arrogance lead his actions.

If he allowed any sort of cockiness into his planning then he would lose the hunt and he'd lose the prey. And that just wasn't acceptable in Kid's mind. He'd told Liberty in no uncertain terms that she would join him and join him she would. Fuck anything that got in his way. Whereas his earlier self would've lunged for the dragon without pause, now…now he waited and watched. Kid wasn't a patient man but when it was most needed, when it would benefit him, he could sit back with the best of them.

Then he felt _it. _He couldn't describe the catharsis but he knew it came from Liberty. There was no doubt in Kid's mind about that. He'd been walking through an alley some feet behind the dragon when the mouth had come up in his sights along with a brawl. At its center had been the Gifted fighting with a primal fury that was so at odds with her human shell. It had surpassed the realms that governed animals; this anger that clung to Liberty was deeper, based in something that was far older than the animal kingdom. Whatever he was witnessing weaved a veil over his senses, spellbound him to a point where the scene triggered nothing but vigilance.

Eustass "Captain" Kid should've been furious, enraged, and halfway _mad _with anger at the sight; those who dared fuck with his crew didn't live long when he hunted them down like weakling scum. That's when he sensed the temperature, the shift in his surroundings, and whatever spell had calmed his temper dissipated like morning mist. His anger rose with the strange heat in the air which ultimately changed said anger into steadily growing curiosity. Where the_ hell _was the heat coming from? Sharp red eyes had surveyed the street for possible causes; the results had shocked him. _How the__** fucking hell **__had he not noticed!_

The street, when he looked abroad, was…_warping. _It reminded Kid of the mirages in the desert islands he had come across. An optical illusion resulting from the distortion of light by alternate layers of hot and cool air. But where was the hot air coming from. The light too? And mirages such as the one he was seeing were only prevalent in deserts. Sabaody Archipelago wasn't a desert island. _What the fuck!_

Even more shocking was the state of everything on the street. The wooden structures of shops were groaning and buckling; Kid instantly smelled the tinge of smoldering wood. _The hell? _Windows were showing hairline fractures in their frames, jagged cracks that were starting to liquefy around the edges. All at once Kid realized the glass was _melting. _Melting! Metal hinges, support beams, clasps, lanterns, lightposts, fences, planter boxes, mail boxes; anything that was metal hummed with the absorption of extreme heat. Yet, the pathetic men targeting his dragon were not affected by this strange phenomenon. Nor was he for that matter. The air was thick and cloying, therefore breathing was labored, but Kid stayed unchanged.

Then that indecipherable _something_ rose inside of him, urged him to run which he barely ignored, and reaped him of all reason, of sanity. His ears screamed under the sudden onslaught of pressure, his eyes burned even though he blinked constantly, his mouth had grown fields of cotton where saliva once reigned, and his skin-…something danced over his skin like spiderlegs; his mind rebelled at the alien contact. _**Don't fucking touch me!**_

The warning echoed around his conscience like the infuriated roar of a lion. It was a snarled growl of threat, an instinctive shout that never made it to Kid's vocal chords and had manifested mentally instead. That _something _that was prowling inside of him stopped, Kid could feel it on a fundamental level, and dispersed through his pores after a moment of standstill. Whatever had been messing around in his psyche had left a lasting impression on Kid; this sensation that thrummed through his blood was like molten lava, searing in its intensity, yet it bore no pain. Only an uncomfortable feeling of exposure like…like he'd been pried open and laid bare before someone. Or something. Irritation bubbled up beneath his skin at the vulnerability.

When Kid next opened his eyes, not remembering having closed them, the sight that met him branded itself into his mind. Skulley J. Liberty stood in the center of not a brawl but a bloody holocaust. Then he was hit with a _very familiar _smell. His body stiffened out of its frozen state, tension causing him to unconsciously clench his hands into tight knuckled fists. It was the smell he reveled in upon leaving an island that had aroused more than his temper but his rage. It was the smell of burnt flesh. Burnt_ everything_. Glinting red eyes took in the scene with studious calculation.

It was easy to see the many heaps of sorry flesh had once been the men assaulting his dragon. _Fucking got what you deserved maggots! No one messes with a Kid pirate and lives!_

But the question was…what had he missed? What had caused this level of bloody destruction? What had Liberty done that he had missed when he'd been in the throes of his mind fighting some outside presence. Because there was nothing now in the silence of the street. No overbearing heat clogging his lungs, no forceful entity lingering inside his head, no melting, no heat, and no mirages. Only Liberty.

Kid turned his whole attention on Skulley J. Liberty, red eyes narrowed and guarded, accessing. He had a feeling that everything that had happened was somehow connected to his dragon. And he _would _get an explanation. Kid didn't like being kept in the dark, he lacked the patience in allowing it; knowledge was power. And right now he was severely lacking in that respect about his dragon. But that would change _now. _

Dark lips curling in a snarl of frustrated agitation Kid made to stalk out of the alley toward Lib. As he drew closer several things grew apparent to the captain. Liberty looked absolutely _overwhelmed. _She looked dead to Kid. Pallid skin, bloodshot teal eyes with black bruises under each, tousled hair, ragged bloodied clothing, and tears. Wait_–_…teal eyes?

Kid immediately eyed Lib's face. There was no trace of brown swimming within the slit gaze. None, just like his first encounter with the wyvern. Red eyes narrowed further, suspicion rampant in bloody orbs. Kid couldn't help the tension that squared his shoulders and solidified his stance in remembrance of those eyes.

Another thing that grew apparent was Lib's disconnection. Kid had been steadily walking toward her and she had done nothing to acknowledge him. A fact that pissed him off. No one ignored Eustass "Captain" Kid, no one! Before he could release any form of blistering reproach Lib _reacted. _And for the _second_ Goddamn time he found himself taken off guard!

Liberty screamed then. It was more than a mere sound of desolation, it was a howl of unfathomable anguish such as an animal might make while predators slowly tore it to pieces. She bolted afterward and it wasn't even a run or a sprint. No, Liberty stumbled and staggered down the street until she was gone from a seething Kid. But his sharp hearing could still make out the choked cries of his dragon.

Slowly, very slowly, with stiff jerky movements Kid turned to follow, something heavy - unfamiliar - in his breast, and it wasn't the anger that seared is veins. _Why the fuck was he so shocked? _Kid couldn't find the answer…Nor could he understand the tightening in his chest.

And when Kid didn't understand something…he grew angry.

With a murderous sneer he stalked down the street leaving the steaming remains, charred market, and unknown presence behind.

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_One minute._

The moment she crossed the threshold, fumbling and hysteric, the scent of literature rose to meet her poor nostrils like a mother does a child. She is shaking, shaking from _everything_. And for twelve seconds it is all she can do to stop the tears that sting behind her eyes, the burning sick feeling in her stomach, and the thick clogging of her throat. But the one saving grace - Spirits know she needs one - are the rows of neat, dusty books that sit on their selves like silent watchful sentinels.

Liberty knows they aren't alive, books can't possibly give comfort, but the sight of them is enough. It is enough for Liberty to know they are there, and they are waiting for her to open one and lose herself. And by the Spirits does she want to. It is enough to stand there and inhale their musky book smell that always, always calmed her in the past.

She is deeply grateful that it does not fail her now. Because she is so, so close to breaking. Again.

_Two minutes._

Skulley J. Liberty it taking it all in. For a moment, an instant, the sea of choking, depthless sorrow that fills her soul splits like the Red Sea and she_ feels_. She can feel it, contentedness. It is not happiness but it is something that is outside sorrow and fear and rage. The terrible urge to fall and _just let go _tapers slightly, it doesn't disappear, but Lib allows herself the moment; she stands in the middle of the quaint little bookstore and for the first time in hours (ages it feels like) she feels something that resembles calm.

Not at peace. But the sort of calm after a bad storm has past. A stillness in the air. Quiet. Oh so quiet. Now she can understand, at least in part, why Jillian has always surrounded herself with silence._ It helps_, she realized numbly, _like a salve upon a horrendous wound_. A mirthless laugh bubbles up her throat then. No wonder Jillian had been so _adamant_ with her argument.

Lib finally knew what she'd been missing.

_Three minutes._

She doesn't focus on her memories. New and old. Both claw at her subconscious intending to tear apart her sanity with black taloned nightmares. She focuses on the scents swirling in her nose and the aura cradling her like the mother she never knew. It works,_ thank the Spirits_, and it's not long before Liberty is freely prowling around the cases on the hunt for fairy tales and fantasies.

It is like a beacon of light to her dim world when she finds it. A savior wrapped in parchment, ink, and hide. The book is old with yellowed pages and frayed edges. Lib is immediately in love. It isn't long, nigh a minute, before she has lost herself to the faded words and sentences. Finally…finally the unbearable pain is pushed to the back of her mind and she can _breathe_.

_Four minutes._

The book is called _Shades of Sunrise_. It is terribly beautiful and beautifully terrible. Of course, it is a romance novel, though it possesses content Jillian herself would sneer and recoil from. It is sad in ways only star-crossed lovers and forbidden relationships can be. But it is beautiful even in its sadness, yet it is a _different _sorrow then the one bleeding out from her like crimson life.

It is the sadness born of new beginnings and change. That moment when one realizes that life will never be the same and they are both happy and melancholy because of it. Sitting on a cushioned seat deep in the shelves, _Shades of Sunrise _in hand, Lib can believe, deep down, that there is a new beginning out there. For her, for Jillian, for _them. _

She can hope.

_Five minutes._

She is angry, cursing, ranting, shouting. Because Aidanir, one of the main characters, is an _idiot! _Liberty is right with the other main character, Lunai Sae for wanting to _throttle_ him. How could anyone be _willing_ to die! There were cases where anyone would offer up their own life to protect a loved one but this-…this was suicide! _And for what_, Lib growled inwardly, _a brothers closure? _Liberty couldn't understand the male lead; how could you give up your life for someone who _hated_ you more than anything?_ How!_

Then she was squealing as only Skulley J. Liberty could, high-pitched and loud, because Lunai Sae was stopping him! _He wasn't going to die. _Hopefully. Liberty's eyes never left the page, and her brain never focused on the hurt beneath the surface. If anything Lib was good at playing happy. It was _her _mask.

_Six minutes._

The little bell above the front door chimes announcing a new arrival; Lib is too engrossed within the magnificent work that is _Shades of Sunrise _to notice. Her sensitive nose does and Lib unconsciously sniffs the air and basks in the scent of spice and… almonds. Somewhere in her head, buried deep beneath muddled emotions and scars, a bell goes off in warning.

Lib doesn't hear it.

_Seven minutes._

Someone is staring at her and it was distracting her from her reading. _Go away!_ She wants to be left alone, damn it! So what did Liberty do when faced with _annoying _strangers who couldn't take a hint? She ignored them. Attempted to, at least. How many people can go about their daily lives with some creeper staring at them! Not many! Lib couldn't stop the slight curling of her lips nor the glint of a fang; humans really irked her sometimes. _Argh, leave me alone, leave me alone, leave me alone!_

Instead, the stare seemed to intensify. Now the creeper was _glaring_ at her! _What the hell is thi_—

"Enjoying yourself, dragon?" Rough, growling, and dangerously impatient. Dangerously familiar too.

Swallowing slowly, eyes closing, Lib sent a prayer to the Spirits for _mercy_. Because after everything she'd been through the Gods couldn't be_ that _cruel. No, there was just no way they were that cruel. Breath hitching a little Lib opened her eyes and looked up from her book.

Oh yeah, they were cruel.

Eustass "Captain" Kid stood at the end of the aisle with feet wide apart and fists clenched. _Why me! Why me, Gods!_

His red gaze was dark with barely contained fury and impatience which never boded well for anyone. Liberty stared, face pale from emotional strain and stress; it was late at night now and very few people walked the streets. What could Kid possibly_ want _in a bookstore? Lib couldn't see him enjoying a good book at all. The thought was just…

She shook her head to clear it and tensed when her ears caught the rustle of clothing. All at once she sensed the undeniable cloud of frustration and restlessness, it swarmed around Kid like angry bees. Even more disconcerting was the air of expectation she felt from him; the force of it was _stifling._

Liberty rose slowly from her seat one hand clutching _Shades of Sunrise _while she backed away. She'd learned her lesson from their first encounter; the next time she ever got close to Kid she would be driving a needle into his clavicle. And not with a paralytic drug, but something far more lethal. The warning growl that slipped past her lips was low and guttural, threatening. She didn't have the energy nor the resolve to deal with this man right now!

Kid took in the sound with narrowed angry eyes. She dared threaten him? _Stubborn, little wench_, he thought as Liberty backed away again. Her countenance, Kid noted idly, looked strangely gaunt and sallow. Sickly almost. The woman that stood before him now held no resemblance with the defiant creäture he'd pinned against a wall. Not at all. The dragon in his memories wouldn't simply be_ standing_ under his heavy gaze. She'd be fighting him tooth and claw, or fang and needle as it were.

But Liberty did nothing in this impromptu stand-off. There was nothing to remind Kid of the fiery rebellion back in the alley and he was…displeased by it. Completely and utterly brassed off actually. _Where the fuck was his dragon? _Not this weak, washed out version with the sad eyes and desolate expression. Because that was all Kid saw while he stared her down.

Bloodshot eyes, pale skin, saline tracks down her face, and- and _weakness! _He was _disgusted_ by it. _Where the__** fuck **__was his dragon? _He instantly detested the foul air which clung to her like skunk stink; he could almost_ smell _the pain and desperation and fear. Kid personally hated those emotions, hated them all the more in that moment because they merged with his lack of knowledge. What the hell had happened to the Wyvern Sister to make her this—_weak, fragile, human. _

Spitting viciously, "What the _fuck_ is _wrong with you!_"

And thus the egg cracked.

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_"What the fuck is wrong with you!"_

_"What the__** fuck **__is __**wrong with you!"**_

_**"What the fuck is wrong with you!"**_

The heat was stirring beneath her skin again. She could recognize the blood-red fog threatening to overtake her mind. It was dark and inky and _vicious_. Not unlike the time on the street with the dirty _dead_ bastards. And the tide of it rose with every echo of that arrogant demand. As if _he_ had the _power_, the_ right _to demand anything of_ her_, Skulley J. Liberty! How dare he be so pithy with her! The _nerve! _

Just the thought of such audacity had Liberty clenching her fists so tightly there was sure to be bloody indents. She didn't care at the moment. Unbeknownst to the Tri-horn a cold sliver of ice ran down her spine to fall into a pit of molten power. It unsettled the already roiling mass of emotion into chaotic churning, then it started to rise.

Lib could feel the anger inside her like a live thing, it crackled beneath her skin ever eager to loose itself on anything that roused its masters temper. Fury flickering in the backs of her eyes, depressed expression darkening, the Gifted hissed at the human before her.

_She owed him __**nothing! **_And she said as much.

"_I _owe you_ nothing_, human!"

Wrath stole over the Supernova's features, dark lips peeled back over bared teeth, and Kid stalked closer. The thickening of the air had Liberty's hackles rising; the bastard was either about use his devil fruit or it was just a natural response to being defied. _Fuck you and your devil fruit_, raged Lib with a growl.

"_Human_," the captain gnashed between grit teeth, hellish red eyes bright with malevolence, "No, _I'm_ not human, _dragon_._ I'm _your_ fucking CAPT_—_"_

—A book smashed into his face.

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Rage.

Hot, bloodcurdling _rage_, roared through her veins. Great waves of fury and hatred screamed to the surface, the frustration and pain of too many hours spent pretending to be human, of hiding her true self, and of fighting the past, it all boiled too hot for her to keep contained. The force of her anger only strengthened at hearing those damning words.

She fed those same words to her rampaging emotions till they exploded through her pores; a wild abrasive thing, ugly and terrifying. Kid wanted to play dominance games with her? Fine, let him learn just how human he really was!

Violent ire burst forth from her and rode impulse into action.

Her arm rose, dropped sharply, wrist flicking the book in her grasp with unerring accuracy. _Shades of Sunrise _slammed into Kid's face; Liberty very rarely missed her mark. The velocity of the book drove Kid backward against the left bookcase, and for an instant he acted like any normal man would, shouting out at the pain. It brought a sense of primal satisfaction to fell her hunter and with a book no less. _Chose the wrong dragon to mess with captain_, thought the Tri-horn smugly, sarcasm and spite ringing heavy on the last word.

Her only regret to her sudden attack was the overturned bookcase. The books had been organized so neatly too. Lib hissed through her teeth when she realized she'd thrown her book after a moment of silence. _Damn! It was getting good too! Argh! Now I lost my page and I can't freaking remember it! And I'll have to find it in a pile of books and that's not fucking fair! There should be a law against people interrupting people who are reading a good boo–_

He struck.

His power swirled around the room capturing air molecules and molding them into an impenetrable force field. The atmosphere grew pregnant with malice and magnetism. Liberty could feel it shifting around her like invisible beasts waiting to tear her apart. She fell into a defensive crouch in response and threw herself to the side in the same breath.

Pain cracked across her skull eliciting a yelp of shocked distress. But there was no time to stand and cry because the air was thickening again. Liberty's ears caught what she'd missed last time; the telltale whistling of projectiles. Metal projectiles. Eyes flashing angrily Lib threw her arm out, four needles clashing with nuts and screws, just in time to block her face. She rolled with the motion the _ting-clack-ting_ of the impacting metal loud in her ears.

Where was Kid, anyway? Liberty glanced quickly around the ruined aisle but saw nothing of the Supernova. _Coward!_

Before the word could echo twice in her head the Gifted was dodging again. Screws and nuts and washers. What the hell was this!? With a snarl she was throwing more of her bone needles to intercept the threat, though it did nothing to halt the barrage in the long run. And that _really_ pissed her off.

Then she saw him. A sardonic sneering grin warped his face from his place against the far wall. He leaned on what appeared to be a collapsed bookcase, twin red eyes watching wickedly. Liberty noted with mounting hatred the palm of one hand lazily outstretched purple sparks zigzagging around the fingers. His devil fruit.

_Bastard. Bastard! __**Bastard!**_

A red haze descended over her vision when said bastard started _laughing. _Loud, husky chortles that shook his frame as he threw back his head like a lunatic. Liberty glared, eyes narrowed with black fury, teeth bared.

"Oh, are you done?" Kid sneered contemptuously, mockingly, "Well, that's too bad 'cause I was hoping to split that fucking skull of yours, dragon." The once-over he treated her too left Lib feeling very, very violated. "Maybe then you'll grow some fucking sense, bitch." That evil Glasgow smile was back. _Oh, screw this!_

Liberty lunged, an inhuman war cry of rage ripping from her lips, and took Kid to the floor. This time there was no devil fruit, no needles, no poison, only brute strength and a penchant for beating the shit out of the other. It was a tussle of animalistic fury and base instinct; dominance. They rolled and threw each other around on the floor of the bookstore determined to pin the other and gain the upper hand.

Snarls, growls, hisses, curses, and other sounds of exertion echoed around the room. They grew louder when Liberty managed to wrap her hands around Kid's neck. A sharp buck of his hips sent her careening to the side with a furious shout and left bright red scores down the soft skin of his throat. He hissed out a "_fuck!_" at the new abrasions but ignored them in favor of pouncing on his opponent.

A pale fist punching into her diaphragm had the air whooshing out of her lungs. But it didn't stun Lib for long. On the next pass she grabbed his wrist using her strength to force it over her head. The power behind his swing had Kid falling forward with his own momentum. Grinning viciously Liberty jerked on the limb a second time right as she swung her head up and rammed it into Kid's nose.

She was only sorry the angle was wrong else she would've broken it.

The roar of anger and pain was enough to get Lib out from under the cursing Supernova. Though he wasn't one of the Supernova for nothing; the cursing never stopped but her adversary whipped around in a crouch grabbing her wrist and shoulder to throw her across the room. Several bookcases didn't survive the throw and toppled when her body shot through them. The fourth resisted her forward motion, however it was painful having ones ribs and breasts rammed into something hard and unforgiving. There was something warm and wet running down the side of her face, and a hand passing over the abused skin came back red; blood, her blood.

The sight of it just made her_ angrier_. Ripping herself from the smashed bookcase Lib released a low growl that vibrated the air around her. Bright teal eyes hazed over with a dozen kinds of fury barreled into Kid. Grinning broadly the captain crooked his fingers and motioned her to come at him. "That was fucking pathetic, but the captain is always the strongest in a crew."

_Oh no he didn't!_

He did.

Liberty didn't care that she'd fallen for his bait; all she had on her mind was tearing that grin off his face. With a hair-raising snarl she summoned her tail using it as a spring-board forward. The quicksilver launch of her attack gave Lib the window she'd been looking for. A split second of surprise which flickered over the assholes face giving her enough time to wrap her fist around his outstretched hand. The one he'd been shamelessly taunting her with. _Fucking bastard!_

Remembering his words only had her digging her claws into his flesh all the harder. Yanking Kid's arm to the side, she slammed every ounce of her weight into his stance to throw his equilibrium off; the speed by which she fell made it so that Kid couldn't compensate the loss of balance. The thud of his body had the furious heat inside of her trembling in primal satisfaction.

Though her assault didn't stop there. For the few precious seconds that Kid was stunned Lib moved for the follow through. Straddling his waist she wrenched his other arm up while her tail pinned his legs. Fangs bared she dug her claws into the clothed appendage hoping to puncture something vital.

The air hummed with danger, and Liberty could suddenly sense the rage coming off the man under her in waves. _Good! _Kid chuckled darkly, eyes of blood and fire gleaming with predatory intelligence. Lib stared, watching the play of sinister emotion with wary tension. For several seconds they lay their breath raspy from hard hits against the chest, bruises darkening over bits of exposed skin, and blood weeping from flesh scraped and ripped upon too many surfaces.

_Instinct was the only thing that saved her._

Liberty felt that intrinsic connection inside of her shriek with warning half an instant before she was lunging backward. Kid had sought to slash her with his own dagger by use of his dastardly devil fruit. The weapon itself hovered over his form motionless but threatening nonetheless. Kid lay propped up on his elbows face twisted grotesquely in a maniacal grin; the sight of it disturbed Liberty because it was eerily at odds with the poisonous rage lurking in his eyes. The expression as a whole immediately sent Lib into a defensive crouch claws at the ready.

Liberty could feel the fear under the smokescreen of her anger and while it dampened the effect the emotion still sent ice through her veins. That look on his face was both triumph at something she wasn't privy to and fury at her defiance.

…She didn't want to _go near him_. Not when his features were set with something maliciously conniving. The tension running rampant through her solidified her blood when the Supernova climbed to his feet. His form rose with a sort of panther-like grace that should not have been beautiful to Liberty. She wanted to look away but that would leave her open for attack; first rule of battle, never take your eyes off your opponent.

A curl of satisfaction seared through Kid whose crazed smile widened at the feeling. It was perfect. _She _was perfect. And watching her as she was now sent spikes of heat down south. The violence he'd just participated in was magnificent. The damage within the bookstore brought a sense of familiarity that Kid basked in. The destruction was _beautiful._ What made this scene all the more appealing to the Supernova was that Liberty herself had helped in the devastation.

And the icing on the cake. The reason for his bout of self-satisfaction?

_She'd enjoyed every minute of it._

Oh, Kid was very, very aware of the intensity of his own temper. Few could stand in its wake and live to spin tales. He embraced his rage wholly and could pinpoint with complete certainty when someone else did as well.

She had the option of running away from him…and she hadn't. _She hadn't. _

Kid's insane grin disappeared into a knowing smirk. One he noticed had Lib scowling in barely restrained confusion. He was definitely throwing her off. Kid had to chuckle at that; she looked so, so frustrated and angry. So unaware of what she'd given him through her actions…or lack of thereof.

"Tell me, dragon, did you_ enjoy _our bout of destruction?"

Watching Liberty evaluating the demolition for the first time almost had Kid throwing back his head in laughter. It was rich really. Seeing the detachment fade into shock followed by what looked like anguish. Tch, books. Kid nearly sneered. The bookstore hadn't been all that big or spacious to begin with so the space their fight had taken up nearly swamped the whole of it. They'd taken out four of the five aisles and nearly all the bookcases were piles of shelves due to his devil fruit.

The eyes, Kid noticed when he focused on Lib's face, had returned to their normal state. Brown-teal. That glint of rabid feral rage was gone from Liberty's gaze. But now that he'd gotten a closer look Kid _knew_ it was there lurking under the surface of her _happier_ emotions.

Kid grabbed his floating dagger and sheathed it against his chest where it belonged before speaking again. How he would savor the jolting horror coming over her when realization struck.

"If I had known you had a thirst for _this_ type of_ strenuous activity _I would've hunted your ass down a lot sooner, bitch." The Tri-horn's face was_ priceless! _

This time the laughter came, uproarious and loud, as it bounced around the small shop. Slit eyes glared spitefully had him but it only made Kid laugh harder. "I…_do not _thirst for violence! I'm not_ that _desperate for something to amuse me, bastard!" Liberty spat angrily.

Mocking red eyes met infuriated brown-teal with smug arrogance. It had Lib bristling like a pissed off porcupine.

Smirk nearly splitting his face in half Kid growled, "Then why didn't you pull that bullshit with the needle like last time? Seems to me, " Kid appraised the havoc around him with exaggerated flare, red eyes glittering mercilessly, "like you stayed to reap the benefits of a good rampage."

And there it was…

The horrified realization on Liberty's face just before she burst through the ceiling nourished Kid like the headiest of triumphs.

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…_Seems to me like you __**stayed **__to reap the benefits of a __**good rampage**__…_

Those haunting damning words dropped like a guillotine blade on her head. Liberty had no words of defense to throw at the smirking son of a bitch who stood so confidently, so _arrogantly_ in front of her. She couldn't stand the glint of self-satisfaction in his cruel red eyes. No more than she could accept what had been so ruthlessly thrown in her face.

Liberty wasn't a violent person. Anyone would get angry, even enraged if properly provoked, but that didn't mean she went looking for trouble! And whatever it was that seethed beneath her skin and heated her veins like a volcano blast wasn't her! She had a temper but nothing like this!

_I would never cause this in a bookstore! _The only destruction that was deserved was given to the marines and their self-righteous bullshit! Not an innocent store!

But deep down in the very recesses of her soul she knew Kid was right. And that miniscule acceptance had a wave of cold terror freezing her limbs and icing over her senses. She…she had to…get away!

Get away from those hellish knowing eyes!

Calling her wings to her with a desperate mental cry Liberty escaped in the only direction her terrified senses knew; up. Up was safe for a dragon. Wood, mortar, and metal were no match for a frightened Gifted whose wings tore easily through man-made material.

Liberty flew over the lawless grove where night still reigned supreme and tried to quell the loud shrieking laughter that chased her ears.

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Law's boots made a soft click as he strode down the metallic corridor leading away from his infirmary. The air that swirled around him as he walked crackled with the unseen energy of his power and the undercurrent of static that clung to him since he had eaten the Ope Ope no Mi. His strides were long and sure, the gait unhurried and confident just as his outward appearance was; his thoughts, on the other hand, were churning like bloodthirsty whirlpools.

One of the most predominant thoughts being…

_When was the last time he had been on the receiving end of a concussion?_

He couldn't remember.

And yet, here he was leaving _his own infirmary_ with a pounding headache. Normally, Law would just chuckle at the irony of it all but this time…this time he wasn't chuckling.

_("You…," her voice was low, empty, and cold, "are a fool. If you get near me…," Lips turned in a tiny, heartless smile, "you will lose __**everything**__.")_

Law licked his dry frowning lips and became aware he was clenching his hands hard enough that he was nearly cutting himself open with his own nails. He relaxed his fingers slowly but the seething fury that hissed through his veins still tumbled around his mind. Those whispery words echoed right along with his restrained anger tempting him over and over with their presumptuous defiance.

_("If you get near me…") _A warning.

_("you will lose __**everything**__.") _A threat.

He was under no delusions; Jillian had told him in no uncertain terms to stay away from her. _Stay away. _An order. She'd given him, Trafalgar Law, an _order. _As if _she _were the captain and not him. Law felt his frown stretch back so he was baring his teeth in a half snarl. _He _was the **captain**. _He_ gave the orders. And may God damn anyone who tried to wrestle that power from him.

Law flings the door to his rooms open, stalks through the portal, and slams it closed. His bedroom is clean and immaculately kept but it does nothing to assuage his temper. Her voice is still hissing in his ear, cold and threatening; hearing it sends a muscle in his jaw jumping. He'd been so close to his goal but he'd gotten sidetracked with the entrance of other variables. The ambush for one had stolen his attention, then Jillian herself with her strange comatose of fear, and the list of distractions went on. There were very few things that could tear Law's focus away and _keep_ it away; the chess scene had done both miraculously. Law was learning - with each new encounter - that _nothing_ involving Sonneillon B. Jillian was pellucid.

Everything that surrounded the teal-haired minx was either swathed in mystery, therefore distracting, or wrapped in code that Law was loath to not attempt to decipher. Such an impulse was…dangerous. Then again, Law loved danger but this time a line had been crossed and he did not suffer provocation.

Never again would he fall under the grips of petty puzzles no matter how seductive in their knowledge they were. Jillian held secrets, yes, but what was the point in dissecting the pieces when he was risking the whole puzzle? No, there would be a time in the near future where Law could poke and prod at the hidden intricacies of Jillian's soul. But now…

Law felt a dark smile overtake his frown, a far truer one than he had used in a long time.

He'd played nice with Jillian and she'd thrown it back in his face; the time had finally come for Law to show his wyvern that_ he _was _in control_.

He sauntered over to a drawer by his bedside, opened it, and peered inside.

The smirk that stole over his face was _terrifying. _

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A/N: I know you want to flay me over a spit for such an evil cliffhanger! But bare with me! And well, reviews make me write faster so meh! You write and I write! Equal balance! _But I really need some writing fuel here people! Please_, review! **REVIEW!**


	11. Touch me, Hurt me, Reach out and Break

Holy _shit!_ I wrote this fast! All for you my loyal minions! XD Just under four weeks I think...And I even battled the horrid...WRITERS BLOCK! *Runs and hides* But I'm fine now. I killed it with the newest One Piece episode. :)

Shout Outs! (because I love my regular minions! You're all special!)

**Tsuki Rae: **_So happy to see you again! XD And yes I am quite cruel...Lol. I just can't help it. Law's character is very 'chilling.' I find his devil fruit actually really disturbing. I mean just think about all the psychological trauma his victims go through after he finishes them...that is if they survive. *Shudders* Its like Shutter Island all over again._

**Greawenn: **_Yeah...Lib gets fucked up. That closet just won't stay closed! Someone needs a lock. Thank you! God, their fighting scene drove me NUTS! I think I rewrote it a dozen times before I screamed FUCK IT! Lol. Hope you'll read and review this next monster. ;)_

**10th Squad 3rd Seat:** _Anger management anyone? Lol! _

**ThexWhitexPhoenix:** *_Hides in Law's black coat* I'm sorry! Please don't flay me alive! *Points at Kid* He made me write it at gun point! Not my fault! Hmm, wonder what Law would do to you if he heard the 'hissy fit' comment. ;)_

**Girl-luvs-Manga:** _Oooh, that was cold woman! *Slaps the glaring Lib and Jill* Oh get over yourselves! You like them! Deal with it! No glaring at reviewers! *Jill and Lib glare at Author* _

**XylimLinyx:** _Thank you so much! I was really wondering whether my characters seemed real or fake to all you guys. So I always like to hear if they're good or not. I'm trying to write realistic characters. Well, as real as dragons can get...but its One Piece. Anything can happen. Thank you for the review! Hope you like the new chapter! XD_

**lunamirror:** _Do I even have to say anything? Awesome, brilliant, inspiring, hilarious, insigtful...__On and on and on. Lol. Love, absolutely love your reviews! People this awesome person is a model reviewer! All fall before her brilliance! She makes me write faster!_

**sam: **_I am beginning to really like you sam. Lol. And thank God. Kid is one mean motherfucker to capture. Good to see I got something right, eh? Hope I continue to do so. Thank you for reviewing!_

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan:** _Even I'm not sure why Kid let Lib go and I'm the author! Damn fingers typing scenes by themselves! I love books...so this scene made me cry. It is a sin to hurt/damage a bookstore. Bookworms may be quiet but if you mess with their books...Well, Lib is going with Kid and it takes two to tango. Hope you enjoy the new chapter! XD_

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**READERS! YES YOU READING THIS! I have something to say! Shout outs ignore this because all of you are awesome! But I am confused! So many of you have favorited my story which I loves! XD Yet, I don't see you review! I don't bite...hard. I promise! *Puppy dog eyes* **

**Now review all you shy wallflowers! Lol. I had hoped to see 100 before my tenth chappy but we author don't always get what we want. But I'm selfish and needy and like to see what my readers like and dislike so here it is- **

**Current review #: 74**

**Expected review# 86**

**Law and Kid will be holding the next chapter hostage until they get their due. *Author hides from Supernova's* I'm not wrestling the threat from them...they have devil fruits!  
**

**Beside that! Enjoy the newest monster!**

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**Chapter 10: Touch me, Hurt me, Reach Out and Break me**

_"You belong to me,_

_My snow white queen._

_There's nowhere to run, so let's just get it over._

_Don't scream any more, my love, cause all I want is you._

_Wake up in a dream,_

_I can't escape the twisted way you think of me,_

_Frozen fear!_

_All your hands on me,_

_I can't scream, I can't scream._

_I feel you in my dreams and I don't sleep. _

_Lock the door, don't look back._

_Soon my love, you'll see,_

_You belong to me."_

**Snow White Queen by Evanescence**

The tourist groves - the markets especially - were always busy. By the time the first rays of the sun had crawled over the horizon the streets were teeming with people all too eager to throw away their money for some materialistic comfort. Vendors, shopkeepers, and ware owners lurked like silent predators beside their stalls equally as eager to snatch some gullible foreign traveler. It was a cycle of deception, petty wiles, and greed.

Today the press of the crowds along the promenade proved to be far more suffocating than usual. Tourists, slaves, and merchants jostled each other in an attempt to get to their desired destinations; nothing was easy in business, and not even the simple act of motion was excerpt. Above the orderly chaos that was grove 46 a fine spring day emerged from the mist of the night, cloudless and clear, it invited good fortune and gossip. Oh how humans _loved_ to gossip. And gossip they did. Topics of fantasy and myth, of dreams and wishes, of news fake or otherwise, and _rumor_. Gossip_ thrived _on rumor and news; this day, bright and sunny as it was, carried the edge of something that speared the breasts of everyone with unease. Or excitement.

Through the swarming masses darted a short form garbed in white and blue, a private in the marines. Young, fit, and flighty the officer weaved expertly between the seething bodies covering the street a tightly bound bundle of paper held snugly in his arms. Alert green eyes scanned both sides of the crowded boulevard before alighting on his target; a post wall. A few evasive maneuvers later saw the private setting his package down with a grateful breath; the bundle hit the earth with a heavy sounding thud. Retrieving a pair of scissors from his regulation style pants the marine bent down to cut the string that kept his package together. A snip of twin blades had the bundle, a stack of newspaper, collapsing from its tight confines.

Grasping the first copy off the top the nameless officer hooked it on the post wall for everyone to see and promptly left. He disappeared into the crowd without a word leaving a curious stack of newspapers and one lone copy pinned against the wall.

It wasn't long before someone came to investigate. And freaked.

The commotion brought others whose curiosity could not be silenced and soon their reactions joined the first. Shock, disbelief, fear, and yet more curiosity filled the atmosphere and then that intangible aura of unease and excitement_ exploded. _

The people of the tourist groves had something new to gossip about.

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Exhaustion. Fatigue. Lassitude. It was all Sonneillon B. Jillian knew as she trudged sluggishly through the morning mist. It swirled around her legs and dampened her cloak but she was too weary to notice. Her mind was over-wrought with frightening whispers, it took all her mental strength to quiet them. When they did quiet something so much worse filled its place. Loneliness. The horrible emptiness of it amplified the silence around her; realization preyed upon her swiftly.

She was_ alone. _So very alone. _Always_ alone. _No, shut up! _But that wasn't true! Not truly. She had Liberty and…_ Shut up, shut up, shut up! Damn you!_ She _would not _do this to herself! The Hellfire banished the ugly cacophony of her thoughts to the recesses of her mind with a nasty snarl. But they always slithered back didn't they; whispering, shouting, doubting. The silence was an intangible predator and it fed off its victims insecurities and fears. Jillian was one such victim. Being exhausted mentally, emotionally, and spiritually brought forth a certain vulnerability that didn't exist when Jillian was _well rested_.

But when she wasn't well rested the whispers, the doubts came to feast. And feast they did.

_Was she really alone? Could she tell someone? Could she tell anyone? Were they really there for her? _No_…_

Because she wouldn't allo—

"**SHUT UP!**"

Echo. _Shutupshutupshutupshutup_. On and on and on. Quieter and quieter.

Then uneasy silence.

Beneath the dusty cloak Jillian heaved a sigh of weariness; the whispers, those_ damning _whispers finally vanished in the wake of…

More silence. And more exhaustion.

For once the Hellfire found herself _detesting _the lack of noise that ruled the coming of day. It was - Jillian looked up to study the stars - around two in the morning and no one traversed the streets this early, at least, not in the tourist groves. They were still comfortably tucked away in their human beds sleeping off the exertions of yesterday. Sleep, something they probably took for _granted_; they would never know just how lucky they were. To relax without fear, fear of _so_ many things; Jillian simply didn't have that option. There was no soft downy peace waiting for her at the end of the day. Not for her. Never for her. Humans viewed sleep like they viewed the passing of the sun and the moon, inevitable.

And she gravely envied them for that.

Because sleep wasn't an inevitable option for her at the end of the day. It just wasn't an _option. _Not when the nightmares of her past waited like gluttonous vultures, waited to tear into her sanity, and that oh so fragile grip on reality that was her resolve, her purpose. And if she lost that resolve then everything that had come to pass would be in vain. Lives lost would be in vain. Lives yet to expire would be in vain. And Jillian knew better than anyone the value of life, thus it was unacceptable for something so precious to amount to _nothing. _

So she did not sleep.

For the only one who could stave off the terrors of slumber was absent. And now Jillian was feeling the strain of that absence. A terrible exhaustion stalked her steps, it left her breathless and weak, and muscles once filled with otherworldly strength trembled. It was an indomitable gulf she was fighting against; desperation fueled her struggles, gave her the perseverance needed to continue walking, but this time it wasn't enough. The haunting weariness drained her remaining strength with every step she took. And not even her iron will was strong enough to stop the debilitation.

In any other time Jillian's sheer stubborn pride would've pulled her through. In any other circumstance exhaustion wouldn't have stood a chance. But the tiredness that bit at her heels, dragged at her bones, and befuddled her senses wasn't a normal one. This exhaustion surpassed the bounds of human understanding, it wasn't simply a lack of energy or mental fatigue; a dragon did not collapse because it was weak or weary. A dragon collapsed because its Mind Flow was losing the energy to connect.

Oh, the dangers of Transition.

_Fuck, transition!_ hissed Jillian fervently as she staggered a fourth time. The ground on this dark barren street was flat and yet she_ still _tripped over crags that weren't there. _Damn it!_ Here she was in Sabaody Archipelago - enemy territory - and she was losing control over her synergy. _God fucking damn it_. To make matters worse she was lost and not just in direction.

Sonneillon B. Jillian was utterly _done_. Her mind had finally crashed. The result?

Listless wandering.

If Jillian hadn't been so apathetic she would've been conscious of the danger she was in. Lost in enemy territory wasn't safe for anyone. But at the moment her sanity had been replaced with an entity that was at war with itself. While her body moved as if on autopilot what lurked in her brain struggled against instinct. The instinct of fear. That deep ingrained sense that told you _no don't do it. _Sometimes it was called self-preservation. Though with the Gifted they were two wholly different concepts.

There was no self-preservation here, only fear. And it waged a terrible war with the insatiable need for _sleep. _And Transition was yet more pressure on both sides. If Jillian didn't transform soon her synergy would undergo Stagnation. Something that was very familiar to her; Liberty would be quite angry if she ever found out. Her best friend was the only one who knew how to beat back the threat of Stagnation and without her Jillian fell back on her usual path of self-destruction. She avoided sleep like it was death. With Liberty gone Stagnation would most likely get her this time. And it wasn't pretty, rather it was extremely painful.

When a Gifted enters Stagnation it means the spiritual tether between the two bodies - human and dragon - weakens. To reassert the Mind Flow whatever synergy is left recoils in on itself causing the human form to collapse. To be put simply a dragon's synergy would recede back into their soul leaving no trace of its existence, thus the body would suffer the lack of equilibrium and deteriorate. It was not a pleasant experience.

Jillian suddenly let loose a gasp when she staggered for the fifth time. _Damn knees! Stop buckling on me! _If it wasn't for the edge of a protruding wall she probably would have sprawled out on the dirty ground by now. _Thank the Spirits for small mercies! _

Maybe, she should lean on the wall for a bit; with impending stagnation on the horizon she didn't have the energy to keep moving. Not in the state her body was in; if she fell there would be no getting up. She wouldn't have the strength to, anyway.

_Damn this is bad! Liberty! Why can't I find you! It should've been easy to track you down, but I've searched for days and I still haven't found you. Ugh, look how pathetic I am right now! Horrible!_

Huffing out a cantankerous sigh Jillian relaxed somewhat on the wall that had saved her; if only it was one of those nice human be— _Shut up! Don't even go there!_

Lips curling over sharp canines the Hellfire shoved herself off the wall and promptly grabbed the edge when her knees buckled _again_. Breathing labored from such a small but exhausting move Jillian stayed where she was hoping her body would stop trembling. It did not.

_Damn it! It's getting worse!_

Stupid night terrors! Stupid Stagnation! Stupid _past! _Jillian snarled at her own weakness, snarled at the hopelessness of her situation. She needed Liberty or else she couldn't sleep! And at the rate she was going she wouldn't last another night.

_Okay, I need to calm down. Breathe, Jill, breathe! I'll just stand here for a while until it passes._

A wave of sickness suddenly comes over her. It resembles the weakness that has drained her for every missed night of sleep. Only this attack is a thousand times more powerful and it turns her legs to jelly beneath her without warning. For a moment the street, the night, the world itself swims before Jillian's eyes like some mad kaleidoscope, and it seems like she lacks even the strength to breathe.

Gasping and dizzy Jillian falls but not before flailing her arms out in an attempt to stabilize herself. By some stroke of luck an arm lands on something firm and smooth. Paper. Her saving grace is a stack of paper? Awkwardly sprawled out Jillian tries to pull herself up into a seated position, but her hands are like dead things with neither feeling nor strength in them. It was like all the life was sucked out of her flesh, leaving her trapped inside a shell bereft of synergy. Bereft of anything.

_I refuse to give in to this, _Jillian rages angrily as she lay prone over a pile of newspaper but anger won't help her this time. _Damn it!_

_Get up_.

_Get up!_

_**Get up!**_

A breathy sob of despair echoed quietly around the street, it was a lonely sound full of regrets and fears. _Loneliness._

Spirits, she needed a distraction! Something, anything to block out the silence, the loneliness, and the helplessness. Then Jillian looked down and by God she hoped she hadn't.

Because in big bold print read…

**Execution! The Son of the Pirate King. Portgas D. Ace Unveiled at last as Gol D. Ace!**

_Execution…_

Everything stopped in that instance. It all fell away under the reality of that cold dead word. Execution…

Her race knew that word well. Too well. _Oh my Spirits…_

Blue-teal eyes closed slowly and this time the tears could not be stopped. Gol D. Ace was it? The son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Rogers. Her brethren, her own species! Another one to the slaughter just like so many others. Was the world really that cruel?

A quiet memory surfaced from under Jillian's despair; had it already been twenty years?

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨Flashback¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

_The man behind the wooden bars is scruffy and dark, but he possessed an aura of regal baring that far outstripped those of royal blood. He sat in his cell hands bound by wood and steel with a grin of wild abandon and defiance. Even hours before his preordained death the man still grinned, and it was a world-renowned grin. It was a smile that would be remembered for generations. If only he would be alive to see it. At one point she had held sway over this titan, this force of nature, but it was done and he had made a decision._

_Gol D. Roger would be dead by noon tomorrow._

_"You won't let me change your mind, will you?" Quiet desperation and even quieter resignation were woven in words spoken by the epitome of reluctance. Sonneillon B. Jillian. The Hellfire leaned against the far wall swathed in shadows and human skin. Eyes a peculiar mix of teal and blue-gray stared into pools of depthless black; eyes that shared the same slit pupils as her own. __**Brethren. Gifted.**_

_Those dark eyes never strayed from the shadows, never left the form that had been his guide for so many years. "Why do you ask when you already know the answer, Jillian?" That wide defiant grin spread just a little wider. Hn. Insufferable man. Jillian huffed by way of response. Roger smirked at the dragon challengingly. _

_"I know what I must do for this world and its seafarers," voiced the Pirate King, "but do you know your purpose?" _

_Lips peeling back over fangs Jillian growled angrily, "Roger! Don't you__** dare **__evade my question! I won't stand for it, damn it! Think about what you're doing! I have told you the tales of our people; have you learned __**nothing**__ from their deaths?"_

…

_"Ah, I remember them well but I am also human, Jillian, and they too are my people."_

_Jillian stepped away from the wall and into the pale flickering torchlight. "So you're going to throw away __**your life **__for them! And __**for what? **__Countless slaughters and massacres! They've done nothing but hunt our kind to extinction! Do you really expect me to just stand by and watch a fellow-…,"Voice cracking Jillian swallowed back tears of despair; she had never cried in front of Roger and she refused to start now, "a fellow Gifted sacrifice his life for a species unworthy of it! Do you really expect me to just let yo—"_

_"Is this your hatred talking, Jillian, because it's a little gristly around the edges and I don't like the taste." Said dragon glared through the bars at the man and snarled ferociously. Her show of temper sent Roger into fits of chuckling which only infuriated Jillian more._

_Hands clenched into white knuckled fists Jillian hissed, "Is this some type of game to you, Roger! Are you having fun sitting in there? Want me to sneak in some grog and ale? Maybe, I can invite Liberty and we can all have a slumber party. Yes, I can see it now; we'll have a toast to your upcoming death at midnight! What fun we'll have!"_

_Silence. Gol D. Roger stared quietly murmuring, "Where is she?" Simple and expectant._

_Jillian rubbed a hand down her face before sighing tiredly. "Not here apparently. Liberty is losing a friend, Roger. Do you really think she wants to see that friend die?" It would probably be a long, long time before she forgave him too. Her best friend was possessive of her circle and when one ran off she would always be there to drag them back whether they wanted to or not. The fact that she could do no dragging this time had hurt her, had __**hurt her badly**__. Jillian wouldn't disturb her in her grief, couldn't find the heart to, anyway._

_"Tell her that I am sorry." _

_Jillian frowned down at the half-dragon. "Is that your one request?" A barb. Softly mocking._

_Roger didn't take the bait. "You know Garp was in here last night…" A teal brow rose to coax further explanation._

_"I gave my request to him and I will give it to you as well." Blue-teal eyes narrowed suspiciously but curiosity had already taken root. Just what Roger had wanted._

_"I want you -__** both **__of you - to transfer your guardianship to my son, Gol D. Ace." Shocked disbelief seared through Jillian's veins before Roger could finish his sentence. Human frame trembling Jillian staggered back till her back hit the wall mouth working wordlessly._

_He dared ask that of her? Of them!?_

_"You bastard." Jillian's voice was a whisper. "You __**fucking bastard! **__Why don't you __**watch**__ him __**yourself! **__Huh, like all the other __**fathers! **__And you dare ask__** us **__to watch him for you! Spirits damn you! Damn you, Roger!" _

_The Pirate King sat very still as he watched the stoic Hellfire Wyvern collapse and for once felt regret. To bring down such a magnificent creäture, a magnificent friend and ally, to her knees was a sin in his mind. An undertone of sadness stole over Rogers face as he looked upon his guardian, Sonneillon B. Jillian. She along with Skulley J. Liberty had been there from the start; had helped him gain a crew, a ship, and so many things in his life that a simple thank you wouldn't be nearly enough. Perhaps nothing ever would be. _

_Quietly, softly, Roger commanded her attention, "Look at me, Jillian." She did so with an anguish far deeper than any human could muster. Roger met those pained eyes with a resolve that even she could not shake, voice grave but soft, "I am asking you to watch over my son."_

_With that request Jillian's mask crumbled. Horrible shaking sobs echoed around the small prison room. Roger stared with slightly widened eyes; he had never, not once in his life, seen Jillian shed a tear, yet here she was standing against the wall twin trails dripping down her cheeks. It had that tiny bit of regret twinging in his breast. Silently, he embraced it as punishment for the sight before him. He deserved those tears and he deserved the pain for putting them there._

_Sighing inaudibly, "Come here, Jillian."_

_Immediate reaction!_

_Jillian threw out a hand, palm outstretched, and beckoned desperately. "No, __**you come with me**__, Roger! __**Please**__, come with me. See your son, raise him! Please, Roger!" Pleading. She was __**pleading **__with him. Jillian __**never**__ pleaded. _Tonight_, thought the Pirate King silently, _was a night full of new sights_**. **_

_He shook his head. "I cannot. I have something that only I can do and it needs doing."_

_Jillian walked on unsteady legs closer to the cell her hand still outstretched. "I don't care! Come with me right here and now!"_

_Roger shook his head again. Jillian's shoulders sagged._

_"Please, Roger. __**Please**__, don't do this. Don't take another away from me. Don't take another brother from me! __**Please!**__" Voice cracking Jillian slid to the cold stone floor in front of the cell. She didn't want to submit to reality. Didn't want to let him go just to lose him like she had done with so many others. It was wholly inconceivable to her way of thinking._

_Jillian abruptly gasped at the feel of something heavy and warm on her head, in her hair; a hand. Roger. It lay there motionless on her noggin just like in the early days except his hand would've touched the hot scales of her muzzle and not hair. The sheer familiarity of the action sent harsh racking sobs through Jillian. By tomorrow that hand would never give comfort again. By tomorrow that hand would never lay upon her rigid nose like a brother would hug a sister._

_Because he would be dead._

_Jillian lay on the ground with Roger's hand on her head and whispered through her tears, voice raspy, "By the grace of the Spirits of the Sea I will protect and watch your son. This I vow on the sacred Gift."_

_**I swear I will protect him with my life you insufferable man.**_

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨End of Flashback¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

It was _unforgivable_.

Once…once she'd had to watch as a brother-in-wings was torn away from her. Torn away from _Lib_. Back then she'd been overcome with the loss of not being able to do anything. But not this time. _Not this time!_

She'd allowed the marines to take away something precious once…but never again. That night she had made a vow and now that vow was calling. Jillian sniffled from her spot against the paper pile choosing to lay her forehead on said paper than propping it up against the wall. She would just get another ache that way and her body was suffering enough as it is.

She would not stand idly by this time; Portgas D. Ace was one of the Gifted even if he was only quarter-dragon. In his blood coursed the sacred Gift of the Sea and that marked him forever one of them. Forever a Gifted no matter how diluted his blood was. And the Gifted always,_ always _protected their own.

_Damn it, damn it, __**damn it!**_

_**FUCK!**_

Jillian felt her hands clench weakly and she growled hoarsely at such infirmity. How utterly pathetic she was right now. In two days time Gol D. Roger's only son would be killed for the sole reason of familial relation. And here she was wallowing in her weakness and despair, it was disgusting. Had she truly forgotten? Was she so frail in the mind that a simple run-in with the past was enough to shake her promise? Spirits, her own emotional standing was _revolting_. What had happened to the vow she had made in the beginning to put aside all her emotions and desires so that her goal could be achieved? Did the mere incursion of the past and the exhaustion that came with it as a result…was it really so strong as to cloud her path, her resolve?

Against the lives of her people her life meant nothing. She survived for the sole purpose of her species safety. So she couldn't, wouldn't allow her bloody past, as terrifying as it was, to keep her from her goal. And Ace, his life as a Gifted, was now apart of that goal. Jillian could not afford to lose any time now; she had to regain her lost strength.

Even if it meant sleeping. For her people she would brave the horrors of her past.

Jillian swallowed slowly as realization came over her.

Spirits, help her.

She would have to sleep…_alone._

_If only for my people._

The fine trembling that assailed her at that thought attributed to the cold and not the frigid terror running rampant through her veins.

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Sonneillon B. Jillian cursed when her vision blackened which caused her to sway dangerously; climbing over roofs in the dark with no energy whatsoever was better left to those with the strength to do so. And in Jillian's case it was very, very dangerous. For the last hour or so she'd been skulking dazedly across the tops of the market shops intent on finding a place well hidden from prying eyes. With how weak impending Stagnation was making her the search was little more than Jillian floundering around like a drunken fool.

It was a wonder no one had come to investigate yet, since the Hellfire's movement was not by any means graceful or stealthy. From all the times she'd lost her balance causing her to careen into a wall or ledge, or when her energy would suddenly give out leading to a dozen almost falls and broken windows, and worse when her senses failed and she was forced to move about blind and deaf at times; such was a wonder too that she wasn't dead either.

Feeling herself sway a second time sent Jillian grabbing someone's planter box in a white knuckled grip and waiting. It was all she could do when her sight decided it wanted a break. Jillian just hoped her legs wouldn't give out. There was no lower ledge like the last time she'd fallen while attempting to maneuver to another buildings roof. If she didn't find someplace soon her body would collapse out in the open and only death would greet her upon awakening. That is _if_ she ever did wake.

The Hellfire shuddered at the morbid thought and went back to focusing on the task at hand. It wouldn't do to scare herself when she needed all the focus she could muster _without _worrying about circumstance. Huffing at the exertion Jillian slowly brought a foot over to the next vertical ledge making sure that her grip on the planter box was stable as she did so. When that foot was steady she waited for a bit till her panting subsided before swinging the other. The process was _excruciatingly_ slow, annoying, and lacked a quality that Jillian prided herself in, precision.

The fact that she was so out of sorts - so weak both in limb and mind - was a permanent scar on her pride. And Sonneillon B. Jillian was prideful; to sink so low was something she wouldn't forgive herself for in a long time. But she could worry about self-apologies later…

She sensed another attack coming so she needed to get her body over to something that wasn't a thin ledge. _Shit! This is bad!_ Jillian could feel the fear coalesce under her skin just as her energy drained out of it.

_Shit!_ She had to get her butt on that windowsill or else she'd lose her perch. _C'mon, c'mon! _But even the simple act of reaching out an arm was exhausting; she didn't have enough strength. This particular attack was draining her energy faster than the others. The fear thickened.

Realization was like ice on her head. Jillian swallowed. She wasn't scared of heights, she was a Gifted after all, but with how weak she was her accelerated healing was nonexistent. That's the horror of Stagnation, it stole every strength from a dragon and forced it inward to repair the weakened connection. _Quite the double-edged sword it was_, hissed Jillian mentally.

Eyes suddenly widening at the familiar feel of numbness taking over her limbs Jillian_—_

—fell.

And then darkness crashed in over her head.

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Skulley J. Liberty slouched lazily within the bough of a giant mangrove, the branch that was her perch high enough that no human eyes could see her. Which was exactly what she wanted; to be able to relax somewhere and calm down without outside threats looming over her head. Now for the first time since she had returned she could actually take a breather from the dangers lurking down on ground-level. No marines, no Celestial Shitbags, no scum, no pirates, and especially no Eustass "Captain" Kid!

Liberty sighed heavily and rolled over on her back; she did this confidently feeling no fear even as she was suspended some couple hundred feet in the air. The branch she lay on was no small thing and it hid her spread wings and tail easily. Lib found it a thousand times more comfortable to unbend in her half-transformed state. She would love to relax fully transitioned but lounging around as a dragon would be too risky even if it was nighttime. And with all that had happened that night she really, really needed some R&R.

If only Jillian was here than everything would be perfect. But as it was Liberty still couldn't scent her, it was like her best friend just wasn't there. What worried her even more was the fact that the Hellfire hadn't found _her_ yet. Sonneillon B. Jillian was one of the best trackers alive but they remained separated. Either something had happened…_No, no, no! No! Don't even go there!_

Jillian was strong and she knew how to fight plus she could read any situation like a book; her best friend wasn't a runner like she was but she was an expert manipulator. Liberty had faith that Jillian could fend off any confrontation that came her way. Mostly. The Tri-horn abruptly groaned in frustration; Jillian's ability to dodge danger wasn't the worrying part, it was the danger inside of her that had Lib nearly beside herself with anxiety.

And with day number nine coming once the sun rose Liberty only grew more anxious. Because that was eight whole days where Jillian was left alone at night, and Liberty knew what came during Moon Hours. Jillian could not sleep alone, if she did the horrors of her past, of_ their _past would ravage her. Lib still remembered the first time she'd experienced one of Jillian's_ night terrors_, watching it, watching_ her _best friend convulsing, screaming, sobbing. It was a memory that had her flinching. The sight of Sonneillon B. Jillian reduced to a shivering mess of hysterical terror had haunted, still haunted, Lib to this day.

Her best friend was her crutch, someone she could use as a shield for her own nightmares and fears, but at times Liberty got the feeling that Jillian wasn't sturdy enough for the position. At times she felt guilty for using her as a shoulder when she knew Jillian suffered. It was times like these when she wondered…was she a contribution to that suffering? Was it somehow her fault that Jillian couldn't sleep at night without another body?

So many thoughts, so many doubts. _This is why __**I**__ don't like being alone. _Skulley J. Liberty was a people person, she enjoyed meeting new people if they were nice, and liked exploring and pranking, so it was only appropriate that she was discomforted at the notion of being alone for long periods of time. She needed company!

The Tri-horn sighed again and tried to shove all the negative emotions away, something easier said than done. _New topic, new topic, new topic!_

Unbidden an image of red hair and sinister red eyes welled up in her thoughts. Liberty released a curious mix between a hiss and a squeal before smacking her forehead with a wing. _Get the hell outta my head, asshole!_ She wasn't _that_ desperate for a new topic! Liberty rolled over to her belly while laying her wings out in front of her, it felt good to stretch the leathery membranes to the fullest. Plus, she would rather swallow stale sour cream than think about that violent son of a bitch! He was a bloodthirsty psychopath who needed serious anger management _and_ a nice bar of soap!

_That big bastard swears worse than I do when __**I'm**__ angry! And that's saying something! __**Shit!**_

And there she went thinking about _him _again! Baring her fangs in a hiss Liberty smacked her forehead on the bark of the branch. It didn't help much but the pain was a better focal point than…_than him!_

_Argh! Stop thinking! Just stop thinking, urgh! _

After her little 'incident' with the Supernova Liberty had taken pains to _not_ think about _anything_ that had to do with the pirate. But her short attention span was a damnable backfire in this case; her thoughts would jump from one tangent to another before somehow circling back to Kid. Oh, how it - he - pissed her off!

_("…Seems to me like you __**stayed **__to reap the benefits of a __**good rampage**__…")_

She _wasn't _violent! She was a nice person! And, of course, any _normal _person would get angry at the right provocation. But to say that she - the nice person - went off looking for a fight was just…

Liberty rolled her eyes at the thought. Kid got it all wrong. Anyway, she'd been under a pressure for which she had no name and with his entrance it had exploded. Sudden questions surfaced about the strange surge of power that had caused such terrible destruction back in the lawless grove. The memory of it flashed white-hot across her mind and for an instant she thought she felt _something_, but it was like trying to catch smoke, and before she even registered the presence it was gone.

_What was that? It felt like…like…_

_(…the hot dizzying emotion blazed through her veins…) _

_(…unbearable fiery rage that drowned her, cradled her, eclipsed her…) _

_(…the presence of a distant heartbeat…)_

Liberty fidgeted nervously unable to reason away such an odd mystery. It hadn't been her Blood Rage that was for sure even if the destruction looked like it. But this feeling she had involving this 'distant heartbeat', it was, well, it was like she could not feel threatened. There was no paranoia, no fear, no instincts screaming a warning at the presence, so did that mean it wasn't a threat. Possibly.

How could she see it as a threat when her whole body and mind refused such a notion? The only fear she was feeling was because she didn't fear the presence. And how confusing was that?

_Spirits, please stop messing with me! I just want to sit on my tree, find Jillian, and go back to our lair! Is that too much to ask for? Oh, and if you could explain what the hell happened in the lawless zone I would be really, really, really grateful. _

The night continued on quietly. No messages, no words of enlightenment, nothing. Lib huffed irritably at the silence craving some noise. She disliked silence, though it did serve its purposes sometimes. Rarely. _Meh._

_Whatever. I can just—… Wait, what is that!_

It was faint but warm…

The Tri-horn looked behind her and spotted the stream of pale, pale sunlight flickering weakly on the bark of her perch.

Liberty whirled around and beheld the rising of the sun. Dawn.

It was _beautiful._

_Spirits, how I have missed this._

Sitting in the canopy of the giant mangroves and watching as dark blues and blacks faded into pastel pinks and oranges Liberty was reminded again just how great it was to be a Gifted. Humans certainly didn't get _this view _down on ground-level.

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

The room is dark and silent. From the depths of the chamber lurked old shadows which fled to far corners at the sudden intrusion of a falling body. It bore a hole through the termite infested ceiling, dust and bits of rotted wood and mortar dropping to the dirty floor. The harsh cacophony of the crash rent the silence in a most disturbing manner. Though, no one save the body of a woman was there to notice.

…

There is a darkness inside her spanning for miles beyond imagination, and in its yawning maw a single seed of light. _Consciousness._ Jillian knows it like she knows her own scales. Slowly, reluctantly she reaches for that beacon of wakefulness; somewhere inside her soul she is surprised at her own daring, or is it foolishness? The question lingers in the dark unanswered then soon forgotten. There is no pressing thirst for answers in this domain of nothingness. In it Jillian feels…free. Burdenless. But there is a sense that lingers on the edge, a warning. And not even that strange reluctance can stop the pull that urges her toward the light.

No matter how free and unencumbered she feels veiled in unfathomable black there is always an end. This peaceful darkness wouldn't last and with inherent knowing Jillian touched the softly glowing illumination.

Then it all came rushing back.

Sound. Night noises. Crickets. Wind. Creaking…

Touch. Sharp things in her side? Hard wood under her back? _What?_

Smell. Old scents. Old wood. _Rotten_ wood. And dust. Lots of it, too. _Dust? The hell? I was up on the roof_…Wait, _DUST?_

Sonneillon B. Jillian choked on that first instinctive inhale, thus falling into a set of harsh snuffling; an attempt at dislodging the rancid filth attacking her sensitive nostrils. _Argh! _There were times when Jillian did _not _find her refined senses glorifying, rather they made her want to beat her head to the point of numbness. Maybe then the cloying scent of dereliction wouldn't have her hacking her lungs out through her nose. What type of Godforsaken place possessed this much dust, anyway!?

Sight. The first thing she saw… A big, ugly tear in the ceiling. It looked like someone had punched a hole through the roof, or…she had fallen. There was strewn wood, broken and jagged, everywhere. She was surrounded by it; some of it even lay on her. Jillian shoved the debris off stiffly her arms trembling with the effort. _Shit. Damn Stagnation! Damn it to Verdaron! _She hated being _this_ weak! The fact that _it _had caused her to fall was even worse! Jillian growled with helpless anger but what came out of her throat sounded more like a groan. And with good reason.

Pain. Where there was movement there was pain. _Everywhere._

It pulsed around the vertebrae of her spine, burned the muscles of her shoulders, bit at the tendons of her arms and legs, and wrapped around her ribs with a throbbing, stinging fury. A quiet hiss of misery forced itself out of Jillian's clenched teeth; falling was bad, but falling when in the grips of Stagnation was sheer unrelenting verdaron! Spirits, her body ached! Inside and out.

That wasn't counting her sorry nose either. _Ugh, I need energy! Ow! Ow! Fuck! This place looks worse than the worst hotel in the lawless groves! _To be simple, it looked as bad as she_ felt. _Pale moonlight filtered in through the twisted puncture in the ceiling, motes of dust - _I hate dust! _- made visible by the light swirled around like freshly fallen snow. The uncomfortable layer of dust and grime that covered _every_ inch of the room had Jillian pinching her nose shut; whoever lived here before did not know how to clean! Or had it been abandoned long ago? _I can see why!_ Because beneath the dust, dirt and neglect, she could tell that bodies hadn't warmed the place in months, possibly even years.

The furnishings were just as bad as the rest of the room; dusty, raggedy, and second-hand most likely, they left much to be desired. Moths had feasted on every visible cloth, cobwebs abounded in corners and walls, and dirt gathered in piles. Jillian stared at what_ appeared _to be a bed against the far wall, at least, it looked like a bed. Under all that muck, well, she wasn't sure. But it had a box spring and a mattress with some shabby blankets thrown haphazardly on it. Which to Jillian's tired, feeble brain amounted to a bed.

A horrendously filthy bed.

A bed that Jillian would have balked at had she been in her right state of mind.

But as it was said dragon was just too exhausted - and in pain - to care. So with painstaking movements, lots of hisses and groans, and popping joints, Jillian climbed to her shaky feet. It was a process that had every single fiber of her body aching. _Stagnation_, Jillian thought with dread as she staggered forward, _was finally hitting her._

She could_ feel _it.

Jillian felt _empty. Horribly _so. That spiritual river of flowing energy that connected her human shell to her true self was _gone_, dried up. Silent. There was no familiar fullness in her soul, no warmth in her blood, no synergy. None. It had finally receded so deep into her being that it left a gaping, hollow wound inside her. But she was too numb, too weary to react to the crazed emotion rioting beneath her skin; fear. She was aware of its presence but the exhaustion dulled its effect in spades.

Because in the moment all Sonneillon B. Jillian cared about was getting to that stupid bed and sleeping. In retrospect it was probably a good thing Stagnation had hit her right then, it made the actual act of falling asleep possible. In normal circumstances she would've fought the oblivion of sleep for hours and hours before surrendering.

So she stumbled awkwardly over wooden floors that surprisingly enough didn't creak to where the 'bed' stood and crawled under the musky blankets. With her head on the flat pillow, body encased in cold scratchy linen, the Hellfire breathed once through her mouth and closed dim, dim eyes.

Dim eyes of blue-gray.

_Only_ blue-gray.

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The night is quiet and cold when he finally leaves his submarine. At this hour everyone, including his crew, is either fast asleep in their beds, drunk, dead, or wandering the streets looking for a victim. But common thugs had no place in front of Trafalgar Law, nor would they be for long, anyway. Not when his mood was as black as it was. Such was the fate of the last three fools who'd been drunk enough or just plain _stupid _enough to challenge him; Law had shown them no mercy.

And Law was a merciless man on a _good_ day.

A maddening mix of impatience, fury, confusion, and rage had the captain thrumming with a vicious energy that had snapped at the first sign of opposition. Stressful emotions were volatile things; a bit of resistance and they seared through his veins like potent poison. Law had cut down the first quickly, angrily, leaving a twisted bloodstained figure behind. His impatience to get to his destination, to claim what was his, had the usually composed Supernova cross and downright murderous with any interruption that drew away his attention.

The second one wasn't much better. The imbecile had gone for a sneak attack but had underestimated his unsheathing speed. Just because his nodachi was long didn't mean it took him long to pull it from its scabbard. The fumbling idiot had paid with his life, yet Law hadn't taken it right there. With his blood seething from two prior kills the Surgeon of Death had seen fit to take his time with the third.

It wasn't death so much as it was mutilation. The barely restrained rage that pulsed and burned in his chest brought a twisted dark thing to his lips; it wasn't a pleasant smile, it was a smile of madness and blood lust. But not insanity. Oh no, Trafalgar Law knew exactly what he was doing and he did it with sharp clarity.

The screams were hoarse, guttural sounds that bounced off the alley walls. It was a bitter but beautiful symphony of morbid music. Law's favorite. He didn't use his devil fruit, something so insignificant as scum didn't deserve such a privilege. His nodachi worked well enough. The air crackling around him though was a constant reminder of his power but Law did not grasp the churning force and bend it to his will.

He craved for a more hands on approach. The feeling of warm blood on his hands as he drew his blade across flesh, the vibration of cold steel slicing through bone and muscle, and the sheer agony orchestrated into a duet of sobbing screams and pained gasps. All of it fed the fires of his black mood just as it filled him with sadistic glee.

It was even more enjoyable when the fool tried to escape. No one escaped Trafalgar Law, no one. And Sonneillon B. Jillian would learn that lesson better than anyone. Soon. That fleeting thought had Law feeling both anticipation at her impending capture and anger for her defiance.

His patient suffered dearly after that.

…

Tedric doesn't know how he's still alive. His body was drenched in his own blood. How much could you_ lose!? _He'd been looking for anyone dumb enough to be out this late, however, a Supernova, a world-class pirate was something he hadn't seen coming. In the dark he couldn't really make out the man stalking in front of him but at the time it hadn't crossed his mind to double-check. It was his cockiness that had him mistaking the Dark Doctor for some dull foreigner, and it was that same arrogance that had Tedric mistaking the infamous nodachi for a tree branch or something equally random. Two miscalculations that had landed him literally in hell. Sheer waking _hell!_

Every wound, every puncture, and gash on his body had him_ shrieking_…or retching at the slightest movement. The smell of his own vomit coupled with seeing so much of his blood had his eyes going wild with hysteria. Tedric the thug had been brought to the brink of sanity. And the _monster_, the_ psychopath_ who stood above him with that- that-_ that _smile…

Dear God, if he survived tonight he would have nightmares! Nightmares just because of _that smile!_ Tedric whimpered. _God the pain! Someone stop the pain. The pain, the pain, the pain, it hurts! Someone HELP ME! Help me, help me, __**help me! **_

The pain… That horrifying - _please-no-not-again!_ - neverending agony had miraculously_ paused_. The lack of _new_ pain had him in tears but he wasn't letting such an opportunity run away from him.

Not when it involved getting away from that- _that __**monster!**_

His slow excruciating crawl to safety didn't last long.

"Did you really think I would allow you to flee to some pathetic delusion of freedom?" The voice was chilled darkness edged in jagged ice. Just hearing the Surgeon of Death _talk_ sent his heart palpitating in crazed fear. _Oh God, oh God, oh God, OH GOD! _

Tedric's face went stark white both from dread and blood loss.

"P-plea-se," Tedric cried weakly, his tongue barely able to choke out the word as his body fell into a set of harsh agonizing convulsions. If he could flinch without aggravating all the weeping slashes decorating his back he would've; Trafalgar Law was moving closer. _Oh God no!_

"S-stay aw-…" The feeling of cool steel sliding across his throat cuts his cry off. A terrible fear exploded inside of him at the feel of cold death pressing against his skin, and he screamed. It was an animal sound that welled up from the most primitive part of his soul, a part where only instinct and not logic ruled.

"I should slit your throat slowly; watching someone choke on their own blood was always amusing." Trafalgar Law intones smoothly, his voice layered in sadism and mock-wonder. How casual this man talks of torture!

"But I have something of mine that I want to retrieve and _you're in my way_."

Tedric lay terrified out of his mind as a pair of cold, _cruel _eyes appeared in front of him. A moment later…Tedric shrieked horridly as the blade of the nodachi cut abruptly into the bone of his right hand, removing the appendage in one ruthless jerk of Law's hand.

There was a second or two of Law admiring his latest bloody torture but his impatience was starting to well up again. Slowly, steadily, and Law was not a patient man when it came to Sonneillon B. Jillian. It was quiet for a time not counting the choked cries and gasps of Law's_ patient_.

Then the alley, for a single long instance, rang out with a hideous, agonized scream.

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Trafalgar Law frowned down at the piece of paper in his hand; Vivre Cards were supposed to move in the direction of their donor, yet the card wasn't moving like it had an hour ago. Shortly before he'd encountered his first _distraction_ Law had noticed the lack of movement in his back pocket. On further investigation his confusion spiked along with his temper. For the only time a Vivre Card was said to stop moving was when the person was either dead or dying. But then the other complication had taken his bewilderment higher and Law hated being confused about anything.

The Vivre Card was _whole_.

There was no sign of burning around any of the edges, so why then had it stopped at all? The lack of answer, of course, had thrown Law into a mood far darker than the one he'd woken up in within his own infirmary. And the three fools that challenged him after such a confusing discovery had taken the brunt of his anger.

Now here he was standing in some darkened street with a Vivre Card that still wasn't moving. Occasionally the paper would twitch a certain way as if the signal had, for a second, been reconnected but it wouldn't last long. This stop-go, stop-go business was really grating on his nerves and he was already at the end of his patience; never a good sign with Law. By the position of the moon it would only be a couple of hours till dawn; he had wanted to be back on his sub with his wyvern before late morning but as Law was starting to realize, nothing concerning Jillian went predictably.

Using what he was given the Surgeon of Death was able to navigate his way into some marketplace on the outskirts of the tourist groves. It was a dark, dull place where even during the day most tourists avoided. From the look of the buildings he passed it was an older section that saw very few renovations; such a place was better left being associated with the lawless grove than a tourist one.

What was Jillian doing in a place like this? Law scowled darkly at the thought and shoved any notion of confusion aside with spite. Once he had Jillian back on his sub there would be amble time to clear the questions that hovered over his situation like vapid gas. It was the only consolation that kept him from losing the last vestiges of his control.

_Twitch_.

…

_Twitch._

…

…

_Twitch._

Law's hand clenched around the sheath of his nodachi at the sight before him. The Vivre Card - if it could still be trusted - was pointing him to a_ shack. _It was a twisted, decrepit structure, and it was smashed in between four other shops that faced two major roads on either side. The only entrance to the house/shop was a dirty slit in-between two of the buildings. The aisle wasn't even big enough to be called an alley. From the width of the passageway Law wouldn't even be able to unsheathe his nodachi horizontally.

The porch looked unsafe to tread upon. There were boards and shingles missing everywhere and the shutters swung in the nighttime breeze. The wood that made up most of the construction appeared white in the moonlight, but in daylight Law knew its appearance would've been an ugly, rotted grey. In all actuality the place shouldn't have been standing. Not when the slightest breeze sent it groaning on its struts or creaking on its hinges.

Law's scowl deepened the closer he came to it. Was Jillian really somewhere in this piece of ramshackle, rickety architecture. He paused, sharp eyes taking in every possible - visible - exit. It would not do to enter an environment without taking in the surroundings first. Different scenarios, variables for confrontations, and situations sped through his mind as he stalked over to what used to be the front door. His steps were silent when they touched the porch which creaked regardless of his added weight. It wouldn't alert his presence to the one inside thankfully; he wanted the fight he knew was coming to be handled quickly, and it would play to his advantage if he had the element of surprise on his side.

He did not want another repeat of their last encounter.

And he wouldn't nor would he be caught unprepared. Not this time. Law felt his lips curl in a devious smirk. The shadows that played over his face made it look like a snarl. In the darkness it might've been. For all Jillian had put him through Law was ready to end the chase, and end it _now_. He'd had fun, yes, but the game was finished, and now it was time for him to claim his prize. Law didn't care, didn't have the patience to care, if said prize struggled or not. It wouldn't make a difference in Law's mind. Jillian wouldn't have a choice. He wouldn't_ give _her one, rather there would be no_ time _for her to make a choice.

Slowly, cautiously, the Dark Doctor moved to open the door, and slipped inside like a wraith.

The shadows darken and flicker like black flame.

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_My bare feet padded silently over the frigid stone floor as I wandered the maze-like hallways; my mind barely grasping the fact that I was utterly and completely lost. If possible, the darkness seemed to close in on me with every step I took. It was as if every step stole my confidence and rendered me helpless against the endless labyrinth of corridors. Every which way I turned seemed to look exactly like the last. The recurrence of my surroundings would've annoyed me had I not been so apprehensive. _

_And what's worse no sound disturbed me like I expected, and the stone floor beneath did not break the heavy quiet. It was just one of many things that had my skin pricking uncomfortably; I found myself wholly spooked by this eerie environment. Usually I loved silence but this…stillness in the air was more like an empty void then from a simple lack of noise. _

_Step_…_Step_…_Step_…

_The creak of my footsteps did not echo in my ears._

_Another step. Soundless. _

_More than a little unnerved now, my gaze glanced over everything, taking note of the foreboding halls that went on and on and on, and for a brief moment the darkness turned deafening._ _For a brief moment I felt like hyperventilating. Spirits, where in Verdaron was I? Never in my life had I felt disquieted by the dark. But now it was different. Here in these halls of shadowy silence I experienced fear. Fear that had my heart pounding in my ears, sweat at my temples, and an unhealthy, unfamiliar sense of paranoia._

_I trembled as well. A shaking buried deep beneath my skin like soil during an earthquake. This haunting purgatory I was seemingly trapped in was a scourge upon my mind, a psychological stain that I felt deep within my soul. And it frightened me beyond anything. Because though I knew the mark was there I could not understand its meaning. I only feared its existence which made me fear this unknown hell all the more._

_Turning yet another corner, I couldn't help the shuddery breath that left my lips; another long, dark hallway. _Spirits, would it ever… I'm going in circles, damn it!_ I thought miserably. Just how long had I been walking? Did I really want to know? _

_There was a bone deep exhaustion that dragged at my heels, called to me to stop and rest, take a breather, but something inside me seized at the notion. Resting in this hollow place was a very, very bad idea. I always followed my instincts and if they were telling me that something bad would happen if I stopped, gave in to my tiredness, then I would ignore that urge, that strange, seductive urge to sit down and fall asleep._

_But by the Spirits did I want to. The floor, as empty and dull as it looked, appeared perfect for sleeping. It spoke and beckoned to me to lay down and never get up and slowly I felt my knees bend. My will softening…ever…so…slowly._

_Then my world went black._

_And that unnameable, hungry abyss screamed._

_And then there was nothing._

…

_Black, sable, coal, darkness, the universe is black, and so very cold that thoughts shatter like ice even as they are formed. The cold is no longer home, no longer a safe haven. At the slightest touch it breaks into a thousand crystalline shards, each sharper than the last. _

_Broken, broken. _

_Never to be whole again. They are dead, all dead, and by your hand! the darkness - frigid, merciless darkness - screams. Life is a paradox! Do not doubt! Do not doubt! The mind is lethal! the darkness warns. Standing before the chasm. A choice. Choose, choose, choose!_

_Life. Death. Death Life._

_Choose! the darkness roars. Do not mourn. Do not mourn! DO NOT MOURN!_

_Colors swirl. Images, faces, places._

_Bright laughing brown, so full of pain wrapped in strength._

_Blue eyes, brimming with promise._

_Hope._

_Such resolve. _

_Such strength._

_Willing to die for a cause._

_Are you?_

_Cold, cold, the place where a martyr's soul goes to die. Warm, the world surrounding. Too warm like blood hot from the vein. Blood, blood, blood. Too much red. Too much blood. Life is gone! Stolen! _

_Do not mourn!_

_Remember, remember! Latch onto the world surrounding! Honor but never regret! Mourning is death!_

_Do you care enough to live, knowing the cost?_

…

_Nightmare creatures with skin of decay and rot fill the sky and dot the lands. Mindless monsters whose free will was ripped from them by a hand as twisted as their appearances. I stand in their shadow, naked and bloodied. Alone. There are no Gifted in all the world but me and no humans or wholesome creatures either. All are gone. _

_Extinct. _

_Butchered like animals. _

_No hope will be left in the world if I cannot stand up to them, to him. An arctic wind, cruel and sharp, cuts across my face, sends a chill down my spine as the great hulking beasts circle overhead, their mutated, warped bodies devouring the sunlight. All around me on the ground lie the bodies of long-dead Gifted, frozen in the postures of their death. I cried for the lost, for their pain and suffering. _

_I cried for the horrors they must have gone through. So many questions - damnable questions. _

_Did they struggle and fight when they were first brought here? Did they have to be beaten into submission in order to land the killing blow? Did they comfort each other with the thought of eventual retribution, or were they merely terrified?_

_Spirits. So many wasted lives. Wasted dreams._

_All for nothing. I am not a savior. _

_Turning my face to the sky, I howl my despair to the winds. It is a terrible sound, empty and hopeless. Who will save the world after I am gone? Who?_

_I am not a savior!_

_Who will step up and serve a cause that sanctions such loathsome atrocities?_

_The Spirits, I know will not help mankind. Too much life stolen by mortal hands. _

_But the Spirits are silent even in this. They are gone, gone! Verdaron has fallen!_

_I am alone._

_The power of the beasts, of him, claws at my soul, my synergy. I no longer have the conviction needed to fight off such power. Free will drains out of me like blood from an open wound; I fall heavily to my knees as the strength in my legs fail. The ground beneath me is red_—

_But I am not alone._

_The realization strikes me like lightning, hard and fast. Who else would dare be here, in this terrible place of death. Who would be willing enough to brave such horror to stand beside me in this hell? Or is it by sheer insanity?_

_I twist about on my knees and see a figure some paces ahead, swathed in veils of darkness. Scattered bits of twilight flicker over the form, like smoke and mirrors. I cannot make out any features. The light teases my eyes with details: sleek, mocha skin. Eyes of ice and sleet. Hair like shadow_—

_I feel my eyes widen as the smoke clears. The figure becomes clear-cut. The sight becomes terrifying._

_Pure unadulterated terror has me backpedaling with a shriek; something stops me. The sudden crippling feeling of being trapped overwhelms me beyond control._

_Escape! Escape!_

_I can't. _

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Jillian screams as her consciousness is thrown headlong into the waking world, a shrill painful sound that is immediately cut off by something warm. Heart hammering, senses astray, and very, very disoriented with her surroundings she is abruptly ripped back to her nightmare. Fleeting fragments of thought on whether she is still dreaming - _still trapped! Get away! _- whirl around her mind.

_(…sudden crippling feeling of being trapped…) _

_I have to escape!_

Jillian instantly tries to free herself from the heavy blankets—

Reality hits.

And then she is all too aware of the hard body pinning her down. And the hand covering her mouth.

The desperate, terrified scream that follows is muffled by Law's palm. The strength of the Gifted is all but gone in the wake of her Stagnation, therefore transforming isn't an option. From the gaping loss springs forth a vulnerability that completely steals her composure. There is no mask, only an acute sense of panic, and in a state of hysterical fear Jillian spirals into frenzied convulsions of terror. Eyes impossibly wide, body flailing wildly under the clinging blankets the Hellfire falls into a primal struggle; reason and logic bow under the cloying influence of base instinct. There is nothing left but _get-away-get-away-get-away!_

Law takes the violent reaction in stride, it doesn't take him long to realize that his wyvern is very weak, because she hasn't thrown him off yet. The Surgeon of Death is very, very pleased at such weakness, it means he won't have to fight her. She is already immobilized for him. But that doesn't stop him from tightening his hold on her, nor does it stop him from pinning her further. It is an easy enough feat; an arm over her collarbone and a fist in her hair. Law is delighted by the surprised gasp that comes out of his wyvern's mouth. Doubtlessly, such a position is uncomfortable for Jillian. Too _close_. Too_ intimate_, perhaps.

A chuckle, smooth and mocking, rumbles above her, causing her to shudder against the mattress. The slight movement has Jillian freezing - Trafalgar Law is straddling her hips. _Spirits, have mercy! _She can_ feel _him pressing against her! On her hips, touching her thighs, stomach, chest; Law is submitting her to a violation in which she has no defense. The brush of his cheek, of his _skin_ across her temple has her flinching back desperate to stop any form of contact. The hand in her hair tightens warningly, Jillian doesn't listen, and her scalp burns for it when she tries jerking her head away from his.

_Let go! Let go of me, you bastard!_

She had no desire, no compunction, no drive to be this close to Law. Ever! She didn't want to touch him. She didn't want _him _touching_ her! _She didn't want to stare into those penetrating eyes and be laid bare! Not when she couldn't…Not when she-…A ragged whimper slipped past her lips.

The feeling of being cornered on all sides is dizzying. Jillian slanted her gaze away, to gain some sort of balance, to distract herself from the man sitting on her, _touching_ her. But everywhere she looked Law was there. He was so tall and so close that it was impossible for her to ignore him. How could she possibly forget about him when the scent of him filled her nostrils, and siphoned away her sense? How could she ignore his existence when it beat so loudly in her ears. _Thump, thump, thump. _She could do nothingbut lay there and_ look _at him. _Feel_ him. Because he was _everywhere. _His seductive scent. His cool breath. His inflamed touch. His smirking face. His eyes, _Spirits_, his eyes were twin points of insidious intent and frigid fury. And that promise…the one she'd seen lurking in his gaze before.

It…_petrified_ her.

Seeing it made her renew her struggles all over again, made her want to roll away, run away, _scream_, and cry. Only she refused to shed tears in front of_ him_, in front of anyone. But her weakened efforts paled in comparison to the weight and strength Law was exerting, and no matter how much she struggled she could not unseat him, nor could she free her tangled arms whose shackles were both the sheets _and_ Law's own damnable weight. With her exhaustion still rampant it wasn't long until Jillian tired and stilled under the covers, blue-teal eyes weary but glaring, breath labored from the exertions.

Law smirked at the helpless anger his wyvern was spitting at him. He was quite amused; this situation differed very little from their shared experience in The Rusty Boot, only this time was _better_. Sonneillon B. Jillian was _sober. _Grey eyes grew dark then, a devilish light coming to life in their depths. He wondered…

Jillian flinched when Law shifted abruptly, the length of his body moving closer, pressing tighter. The arm that was like a steel band over her chest snaked under the blankets to clasp around her shoulders, the new contact had Jillian stiffening. She could feel the strength in that limb, the power in it as it pulled her closer to Law until she was flush against him. Chest to chest, hard to soft. If she thought the earlier pose was intimate, now it was downright _terrifying. _

He was all sleek angles and toned muscle. Lean and broad. Jillian tried to swallow the gasp but it echoed around the room despite her attempts to stop it. She was slowly losing the battle for her sanity. Law was stealing it, he was stoking the fires of her insanity, and she didn't know if she could fend him off. _Oh my Spirits, oh my Spirits! Oh my fucking Spirits!_

Jillian's belly began to burn fervently. Something throbbed. Something churned. Something_ tightened_. She felt every nerve in her body react to him, tingling and thrumming with heady intensity. Dangerous intensity. Something built up deep inside, coiling higher every time Law breathed, every time he subtly reminded her that he was _there. _It was in the way his thighs hugged her hips, skimmed her sides, heat against heat, groin aga—_No! No, shut up!_

_Don't get aroused! __**Don't**__ get __**aroused! **_

But that familiar pool of sensation was already raging inside her, a steadily growing fire that licked at her shattered control; Jillian_ was _aroused even if she didn't want to be.

Laughing softly, Law regarded his wyvern with hooded eyes and a knowing smile. Her innocence was something that Law would dine on for entertainment for _months. _Well, until he ripped it away. The fact that she still tried to hide her reactions from him was amusing.

What would she do if he called her on it, if he nudged the fire into an inferno? His smile widened, a spread of the lips dipped in sin.

"Do you want me, Jillian?" The question was pitched low with an obvious seductive heat, spoken in tones of rich velvet, and like a blanket of fire over her senses; it left her floundering and gasping. Not that she hadn't been already. The Surgeon wasn't playing fair - not that he ever had - because how was she supposed to react to- to a question like _that!_ Jillian keened in distress, she desperately _wanted_ to follow the urge to escape, but of course the bastard wouldn't let her. She wanted to run far away from that question. She didn't want to answer it.

Yet, she didn't have to, not when the silence was answer enough.

Though Law wasn't done, oh no, he wanted to_ see _Jillian unravel, _see_ her give in to his words, and submit to her reactions. Law wouldn't allow even a_ tinge _of denial about where she stood with her own desires. She would look back on this later and shiver at his words. Shiver because he_…_was_…right._

"Like a woman truly wants a man? Does it make your blood boil…," His nose brushed the skin of her temple and nudged a few strands of teal back behind her ear, his cool lips grazing the shell as he whispered, " ...like it does for _me?_" Jillian quivered and nearly moaned from the smooth glide of his voice, and the vibration of it as it rumbled through her. Being pressed up against Law, she could literally feel him talk, and it was disconcerting.

As if to emphasize his point, to drive it home so Jillian had no hope of denying it _or him_, Law's hand splayed across her back, the long fingers spreading, caressing the arch of her spine and the dip of her waist with a deliberate slowness that had Jillian whimpering softly. To escape such a frightening touch she was forced to bend further into him, to press herself against him, to _touch_ him, a double-edged blade. No matter where she shifted that hot, heavy hand was there caressing the heat higher and pulling at her resistance. The coil tightened unbearably.

There was only so much Jillian, inexperienced and exhausted, could take.

_Snap!_

The Hellfire felt something give inside her; panic, fear, and that taut coil of flame suddenly became too much for her to handle. That overwhelming fire flipping in her navel seared through her veins with new intensity before settling itself deep within the core of her being. The strange catharsis had Jillian crying out her body writhing in Law's hold like some wanton snake. She trembled against him, feeling confused and vulnerable, and uncomfortably, deliciously hot. Her head became light as she weakly tried to fight the battle of emotions that such a simple touch had caused. But it wasn't just a simple touch, no, not when she reacted so strongly, so beyond her control. Spirits, she was _so_ _confused. _

Jillian wanted... Did she even _know_ what she wanted anymore? What was Law_ doing _to her! Hadn't she made a promise to avoid this situation exactly? Where was her resolve! How could she be so_ stupid! _But the _heat…_

_Nooo!_

"S-stop! Stop it! Don't _touch_ me! Why are you_ doing this!_" Jillian froze in confusion. Was that her_ voice? _That breathy, half-moan? _Oh Spirits, oh God! _What was _wrong _with her!? _What had he __**done!**_

Then the Hellfire realized…

She was utterly ensnared in his web of sensuality and power. In his experience and touch. When had Law caught her? How had she _not_ noticed the noose around her neck!? Why hadn't she fought harder, struggled more fiercely! Was she so weak against her own body that his game immediately named him the winner? Yes, yes she was_._ That fire was entirely too addictive.

A seed of panic bloomed inside the firestorm raging in her stomach. She had to…had to_ do _something!

Law said nothing in reply to her sudden outburst. He simply watched Jillian for a moment, watched as she struggled with herself. His grey eyes roamed across her flushed face, his look hard and unrelenting. With that one inquiry Law's whole disposition _changed_, became merciless and stony, and not devilish and seductive. His hand, still in Jillian's hair, yanked down _hard _and arched her back until she was facing him. He was frowning…

She felt a streak of fear join the panic at his expression and couldn't stop the whimper. She was completely open to him, with no strength to fight him off. Vulnerable, weak, and at his mercy. She swallowed thickly.

Jillian's eyes went wide as they flickered across the shadowed planes of Law's face. And caught sight of his eyes…those cold, cruel eyes bore into her without mercy or pause, and Jillian had never felt more_ naked _than right then. It was a forceful, intense gaze, one meant to unnerve. And worst of all it felt like a branding. Under such a gaze Jillian literally felt like crying, screaming for help, and sobbing like a hatchling. But escape, even from his stare was something far beyond her reach.

"You will accompany me back to the sub, Jillian." _or I will force you to._ Fear coursing through her like thick syrup, Jillian should've just stayed quiet, but that deeply ingrained defiance reared its ugly head and snarled.

"_No!_"

Law's reaction is instant and brutal. His hands never moved, his mouth did. And he knew exactly where to hit to make it _excruciating._

Glacier gaze locked with blue-teal, Law hissed across her lips, "You can resist me and scream all you want, but if I have to drag you out of here, I will kill the _Tri-horn_. Even if you escape me, I will find her, and I will kill her. Right. In .Front. Of. _You_."

Jillian's face had gone a sickly shade of white by the end of his threat. He could feel her trembling but it was her expression that drew his attention. Shock, despair, terror, pain, agony, disbelief, and yet more terror. Every single emotion coats a different layer on her slack face, paints it into one big masterpiece of utter desolation.

Exactly what he'd been hoping for.

Jillian knows for a fact that had she been standing her knees would've buckled. Because she couldn't feel them anymore, couldn't feel anything anymore. He hadn't…

Her heart stopped and seized in blinding terror.

He had.

Trafalgar Law had threatened Liberty. _Liberty! _Her _fucking _lifeline!

The anger swells and roils and roars and it's _magnificent. _A blessed _Godsend_. Jillian latches onto it like a starved babe. It is the only thing to stop the darkness that blackens the edge of her vision for an instant. The only thing to save her from losing herself because Trafalgar_ fucking _Law threatened to _kill her best friend._

"Y-you…fucking manwhore," Jillian rasps, teeth bared, features twisting with savage fury. "If you…so much as even… _think_ of…fucking touching…_my friend_, I'll—"

Law's glare turns merciless, and he was past the point of playing nice_ hours ago_. The Dark Doctor tightens his hold on Jillian's hair and _wrenches viciously. _The following cry of pain brings a curl of dark satisfaction to his gut. If only he'd brought a scalpel. Then this lesson in obedience would've been complete.

Voice calm and smooth, but with undercurrents of constrained rage, "I_ will _kill her." Law leans forward then, moist breath ghosting over her bared cheekbone and jaw, and licks a long line up his wyvern's neck to her ear, holding her down when she struggles against him.

"I hate you." Jillian moans despairingly. "I hate you so, so much."

Law narrowed his eyes, gaze diamond hard as it drilled into his recalcitrant dragon.

Silence. Heavy, charged silence.

A cruel sneer darkened his face. "Yes, that's it." The strange edge to his voice has Jillian staring at him with wary eyes. She didn't like this Law, didn't like the aura of quiet menace that thickened the air; the change, the _danger_ had warning bells going off in her head. Something wasn't right especially when she could see the start of a smirk.

"Hate me," the Dark Doctor breathes against her skin hotly, a chuckle sending them both shaking because they are that close, "Despise me." He leans his forehead on hers, and she can see his eyes…They are frightening orbs of possessive malice. Her breathing hitches at the sight. The fire rekindles. "Loathe me so much that it _burns_ like _arousal_." Jillian's heart drops to her ankles and suddenly she's had enough. Enough of him and enough of her treacherous body.

_I need to get outta here! Get away from __**him! **_

As tired as she is she still squirms beneath him, struggles for all she's worth, her hips bucking wildly as she tries to throw him off. Law merely smirks down at her, eyes gleaming darkly, and presses his own hips down to meet hers. Jillian's gasp is swallowed by Law's lips but it isn't a kiss, so much as it is a _punishment_. "Detest everything about me until the very _mention_ of my name makes you weak and tremble." He hisses lowly, the heat of his breath fanning over her bruised lips. This time though, no heat churns in her belly, and no fiery coil tightens. Only a stone cold lump of dread coalesces, terror walking hand in hand as its companion. "Resent me with all your body and soul, morning, day, and night." The arm holding her to him disappears, Jillian is too frightened to notice, "Yes, my wyvern," Law croons softly, possessively. "Yes, hate me until all you know and crave…until all and everything that you think about…_is me_."

There is no time to scream, no time to struggle, or curse, or gasp. None at all.

No time for anything but wide-eyed shock as Trafalgar Law slams the syringe down into her jugular vein and _pushes._

The pain is ephemeral but_ agonizing._

The numbness that follows is immediate. And then she is falling.

Down…

Down…

Down…

Into the abyss. The glimpse of grey eyes - dark amusement and triumph glittering in their depths - is the last thing Jillian sees when the darkness comes.

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

The hypodermic needle is empty when the Dark Doctor slides it out of Jillian's carotid artery. A tan finger prods expertly for her pulse, when Law finds it the beat is sluggish but not unhealthy for a sedated person, the smile that dominates his face at this discovery is one born of anticipated success and satisfaction.

The drug worked. Sonneillon B. Jillian is all but dead to the world and would be for several hours, _hopefully. _That is_ if _the sedative agent he'd created went according to his medical hypothesis. Though only time would tell how long the mixture would last, however the immediate effect was just that: immediate; Jillian was nothing short of comatose. Law smirked down at his contumacious dragon feeling confident enough to remove himself. He did this slowly still cautious, and maybe even a tad bit wary of the air of unpredictability that seemed to dog the wyvern's footsteps. It would not do for him to be caught unawares again where she was concerned.

There was no movement from her when he extracted himself from her person, none at all, the pulse at her throat stayed at that same indolent speed. Though Law never fully relaxed, he wouldn't put anything past his defiant crew member, especially the simple act of pretence. So he stood there for a time, quiet and still, grey eyes sharply observing for any signs of falsity. When a full ten minutes or so past without incident the Surgeon of Death allowed the tension to drain little by little from his form.

A smidgen of suspicion still remained but Law pushed the lingering doubt down and focused on more gratifying emotions. Triumph for instance was an emotion that Law _loved _to feel; if pirates were addicted to anything it would surely be the euphoric haze of triumph. And right now it felt better than any in past memory. The wicked exultation that seared his veins like some potent elixir was a sensation he would savor every time he recalled the memory. Law_ basked _in the wake of his conquered conquest, sipped on it like fine wine, and seeing _her_, Sonneillon B. Jillian, the strong, mysterious creäture of legend laid out so vulnerable before him…

His lips curved slightly, a ghost of a smile that hinted at something far deeper than mere greed or victory. It flickered over his expression in an instant, then the mask of watchful arrogance realigned with his features. The room seemed to lighten after that and after a pause - a moment of pure self-indulgence - Law fell into a practiced ease.

Still smirking Law sat near his wyvern's shoulder, stared for a heartbeat or two, then silently got to work. He would relish more in his victory over Jillian when he was safely back in the confines of his sub. Until then he needed to focus since dawn approached quickly, though the Dark Doctor made no move whatsoever toward the Hellfire.

Of course, any doctor worth his salt would never dare move a patient under the influence of some experimental sedative. There were certain symptoms one needed to take note of before removal could take place and Law was nothing short of proficient in his chosen field of expertise. His movements were skilled motions; double-check the pulse, the gums, pupil dilation, and muscle contraction. All of which reacted well which meant the sedative wasn't causing any adverse effects. Satisfied with his wyvern's vital signs Law rose to his feet and sauntered over to the door, an ugly peeling plank of wood that barely held onto its hinges, and reached behind to where he'd left his nodachi leaning against the wall. He shifted the long sheathe over his shoulder while pivoting back to the still form of Jillian.

The parallel that hit him at the sight that met his eyes had a lascivious smirk stealing over his face. How very _ironic_ it was to be in a room with Jillian again. Alone. He chuckled softly, completely aware of the blood falling down south at _the memory_. Now_ that _was another scene he would relish for a very long time. For it had been the beginning of the game. Their game.

Now…now the game had ended.

And he was the victor.

Law slipped the small syringe into his back pocket, a smile of paramount satisfaction never faltering.

_He'd won._

It was only appropriate that his prize was priceless.

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

Hidden eyes watched the crowds. They were so vulnerable, so unknowing of the threat that loomed over them, of the precarious line between life and death they unconsciously walked. A simple flick of his wrist, a glide of his blade, a mere application of strength, and their lives would be snuffed out like a spark in a hurricane.

How…_pathetic_.

Killer didn't care to understand the reason for their reality. If the common people were content to live their lives at the bottom, then who was he to stop them. Let them be weak and be happy for it while the strong - he and his crew - rose up over them. They were nothing if not cannon fodder. Little more than walking collateral damage.

_Focus_…

The first mate of the Kid pirates wasn't out here people watching. Killer was on a mission, it was violent and teal-haired. And quite skilled at hiding as well. A fact that had Killer slightly irritated. Yet, the challenge such a chase presented was a nice respite from the boring drawl of Sabaody Archipelago. It was also a challenge his captain was particularly fond of. Well, that is if one counted _both _the fondness and bouts of raging impatience.

Kid had never been one for extended periods of patience, and this whole_ situation _just so happened to be one big waiting game. If not for his sway with the temperamental man Killer was sure the island would look a lot less _habitable_ at the moment. But everyone - Killer included - would enjoy not having to dodge every time Kid flew off the handle.

They needed to capture the Wyvern Sister _soon._

The first mate scanned the crowds again without moving an inch from the initial position he'd taken up since before the sun had risen. That had been two hours ago and now the early morning sunlight streamed down through the thick branches of the surrounding mangroves. He could feel the heat through his hair from his perch high above the streets. Being on the ground never was a good strategy for seeking out a person which was why he was sat on the roof of some random building with sufficient vantage points.

Yet, for all the time he'd been crouched there nothing at drawn his sharp gaze. Nothing. No teal hair, no suspicious activity, and Killer was beginning to grow bored. Oh, he wouldn't move from his post because he suffered from boredom but the crew would know his…lack of action when he returned later. And Kid was bad enough.

Now in hindsight Killer should have been immediately on guard when the faint but audible _thud, clunk, ow! _reached his ears. He blamed the boredom. However, it was that same case of boredom that had the _Massacre Soldier _peering over his shoulder…

…and stiffening.

Hidden eyes met with surprised brown-teal.

_Found you._

Then he lunged.

* * *

A/N: Okay, I hope I haven't pissed any of you off with my threat...err...new expectation. But its not hard! **REVIEW!** Please! Or I'll lock you in a room with Bon Clay!


	12. Like Sand in an Hour Glass

Holy snickerdoodle! I'm _done!_ Yay! XD Hmm, first things first...**HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUNAMIRROR! **You are awesome! 21...*Smirks slyly* Now you can drink like a pirate! Hehe! I personally like Vodka... ;)

And **minions!** Go read Arcane Dissonance's side story I Dare You to See the Real Me! It probably will rouse some...okay a lot of questions but it also gives a peek into the past lives of Jill and Lib. Some new perspective, eh?

Anyway, I will be saying a_ warning_ - O.O

- There is cursing, heavy wild cursing. Beware all you secretly young people masquerading as adults! This chapter will (not really) make your ears bleed.

Now onwards to **SHOUT OUTS!** Whoop!

**Slight-Smile:** Can sexual tension even _be_ intentional? Dunno, with someone like Law...who knows what he is thinking...or controlling! Oh shit! He could be like Prussia! And yes, when I was writing Law's dialogue at the end, well, I had to take a couple breathers too. He is creepy! But thank you for the awesome review! XD

**EustassKidd0203:** Thank you for reviewing! I loves new reviews! XD Oh, and The Blonde Beagle AKA Liberty likes your names. *Whispers* It has Kid in it. *Snickers* Hope to see more of you! And yes...Kid is badass so anything he does is forceful. Chuck Norris has nothin' on him!

**KittyCatt1036:** Do you not like long chapter...? Some readers don't. *Peers closer with wide eyes* ...Are you one of those readers? *Laughs* Meh. Trying to tell my hands to slow down is like stealing fish from Bepo. You just don't do it. Lol. But thank you so much for reviewing! I'm glad to see I'm not screwing One Piece over with a bad fic.

**Guest:** Now, I don't know if you're that previous guest reviewer or a new one. Oh well, you reviewed so your automatically awesome. Oh! Oh! I LOVE dark fic's too! They my fav! *Wide smile* Cookies for noticing - and telling me you noticed! - that the story is maturing to darker waters. I love to hear when readers actually catch the shifts in my story. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside...and write faster!

**little-long-toad: **Thank you, thank you, thank you! And don't you worry there will be plenty of Kid and Lib in this chapter. OMG, Law IS a beast! From Alaska...C'mon wouldn't he be! Lol! Hope to see you again!

**Bellabooella: **Ya'know a lot of readers have said something similar. Is my vocab really that good? Cause to me is seems mediocre. I've read many stories with far superior wordage than mine. I've got a lot of room to improve. But thank you for reading and noting it! XD

**lunamirror: **Oh hell, what can I even say anymore... *Chuckles* Magic Man by Heart...made me shiver. Holy shit is went perfectly with the situation. I was like O.O! I LOVE Rob Lucci! My first fic was actually almost with him but Law was too much of a seductive asshole and Lib wanted Kid! I find him to be deliciously dark like Law as well as sadistic! He so cool!

**CaptainKylee: **Short but sweet! Thank you for reviewing! I enjoy it when people show appreciation! Hope you become a regular! ;)

**Shambles: **Yo, Shambles! Love the name! *pumps fist* Its badass! Do you know that when I first began this story I was literally a nervous wreck because I thought I couldn't get Kid or Law right! So to hear people actually say that I am writing them good astounds me! So thank you! Reading your reviews makes me write faster!

**YourWorstNightmare33: **Well I certainly hope so! For all the hair-ripping action, writers block, head-to-desk smashing the chapter better be good enough for entertainment! *Grins* And you know the best thing! I've already hit over a 100,000 words and the actual plot hasn't even shown itself yet. Hehe, I just can't write a short story!

**sam: **Hello again! Glad to see another review from you! Love my regulars! Oh, yes Roger, well, he is basically the start of all shit...the shit that will be hitting the fan is a few chapters. Law and me locked in a room...Hmm.. MASS CHAOS AND SCREAMING! I would die. Or jump him...

**XylimLinyx: **Well, you really don't have to worry. 97 reviews...Wow! Just wow! I was so surprised! Now I gift to you this massive chapter! Though no Law or Jill. The spotlight is on Lib and Kid...but don't worry there will be plenty of Law/Jill action afterward. And what I have planned...*Smirks slowly*

**Kitsune M. Bushujima: **I absolutely adore newbie reviewers! Especially if they've just opened the wondrous door to Fanfiction! Even better...you're reading my story! I'm gonna die of pride! Thank you! And love the name! Love foxes!

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan: **I will take it as a compliment! XD He scares the shit outta me to. I mean I have two night terrors will him and twice I've woken up sweaty and/or screaming. If he was real as in an actual person all us fangirls wouldn't be trying to rip his pants off...we'd be running for our lives! Hmm, I'm working on Kid. *Dark smile*

**hazelstorm92: **Ah, good to see a fellow reader whose like me! M'glad to see you enjoy my perspective. You'll be enjoying a lot more when the plot actually starts! XD

**Velonica14: **Don't have a heart attack now! Breathe! If you die you won't be able to read my newest chapter! I'm happy to see you review! Always want to hear what your thinking! So thanks for replying to my post!

**wierd yume: **Heck, I'm crazy too! Crazy enough to write Law and Kid! Crazy enough to try to write myself and my best friend with _them! _We're all crazy. Being normal sucks and its boring anyway.

**Girl-luvs-manga:** And they will only get more merciless and impatient with Liberty and Jillian. Hehe. Thank you for reviewing!

Without further ado, the next chappy! Read, comment, review! XD

* * *

**Chapter 11: Like Sand in an Hour Glass**

_"I don't wanna be afraid, I don't wanna run away,_

_I don't want to be here fading, it's more that I can take!_

_I'm never gonna be the same!_

_Just let go! (look what you do to me!)_

_What do you want from me?_

_You keep twisting me!_

_You keep breaking me!_

_You always want to take me down with you._

_I can't ignore you anymore!_

_Cause everywhere I turn you…_

_You bend and you bruise me._

_You can't have me, let go!_

_Just let go!"_

**Let Go by Red**

**Amazon Lily**

Elder Nyon sat quietly on her snake Princal while observing the antics further down the cliff. The first Man to set foot on Amazon Lily, Monkey D. Luffy, sat poised before a heap of meat and fruit gathered by the Snake Empress herself. Said Kuja stood off to the side of the man fawning for all she was worth. The former empress had of course warned Boa Hancock of the consequences of her disease.

The Love Sickness.

But the current ruler of Amazon Lily was nothing if not stubborn about her ways and refused her advise. The result of such action? The scene playing out right in front of her. _I don't think the man is even conscious of her presence nyo. _Indeed,Monkey D. Luffy seemed too engrossed by the hunk of chicken he was stuffing into his mouth to notice the starry-eyed woman pacing behind him.

Nyon couldn't decide whether to be exasperated or worried over the whole thing. Though she guessed there were other matters that needed her concern. Thin wrinkled hands clenched around the folded newspaper, Nyon sighed; the storm that was about to hit the world would bring both heartache and truth. Wise brown eyes paused over the man before peering out to sea. _Will this cause you pain, Monkey D. Luffy? Is the bond between brothers the same as it is for us sisters?_

Even her time off Amazon Lily had not afforded her complete knowledge of the male species. There were still concepts that even she did not understand and this was one of them. Elder Nyon sighed again and for once actually felt her age. It was tiring. What she was about to do would be _exhausting_.

But the man had to know. Monkey D. Luffy had to know his brother was in danger. _Execution._

Closing her eyes Nyon took a breath to steady herself, to steady her nerves and emotions. Idly, she wondered why she was so unsettled over telling a Man anything at all. It was a _man. _Why should she be worried over his emotional state? Why should she be worried at all in the first place?

Elder Nyon didn't have an answer.

"Monkey D. Luffy-nyo." The former empress called in her old wizened voice. It took a moment for Luffy is realize someone was calling his name but he eventually swallowed what he was chewing and turned his attention to the old Snake Lady. Black eyes squinted curiously as he stared; Nyon stared right back before jumping down from Princal and walking over.

Boa Hancock glared at her wordlessly for stealing her 'husband's' attention. She dismissed it just as easily as she dismissed every other petty tantrum. Elder Nyon was used to the childish antics of the Snake Princess. Hence, she was able to ignore the glare and focus on the pirate staring at her with inquisitive eyes.

"Have you read the newspaper yet?"

Luffy blinked at her question while simultaneously downing three different types of fruit. "No." His answer was simple and child-like. She sighed again and slowly handed it to the man.

"Hmm, I suggest that you do nyo. If you Men are similar in family to us women then it would concern you dearly nyo."

A slight furrow of thought stole over Luffy's face as he claimed the paper from the old Snake Lady. A seed of uncomfortable emotion had taken root deep inside his chest, he didn't like it. Opening the paper, _it had a lot of words,_ Luffy stared blankly for a moment.

His heart stopped.

_Ace…_

The expression Elder Nyon saw was shock and disbelief. It was scared and fearful. It was heartache.

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The official notice sat on his desk among the clutter of reports, letters, and manila folders. Leering. Mocking. Accusing. Pleading. It sat there with its clean-cut edges consisting of high-end paper, formal marine stamp of authenticity, and in bold printed letters sealed the fate of a man, of a _boy_ he had once hoped would work right beside him.

Now that same boy would die. Like father, like son. What a morbid cycle of irony! What a cruel fate. And this time Monkey D. Garp found himself truly, truly at a loss. He was a marine. Portgas D. Ace was a pirate. Two distinct sides. Two distinct loyalties; he knew where his lie.

And yet…

Garp was still conflicted. Still frozen to his chair with an innumerable palette of emotion. Guilt stood out from the muddle only because it far outweighed all other feelings. Heavy it was and so very, very painful.

But for what? Who?

_Two distinct sides…_

His inability to help the one who he would call family?

Or…

The righteous voice of the marines saying that same family needed to die?

For the good of all, of course.

But did it really boil down to marine vs. pirate? Did it really? Monkey D. Garp knew better. This agonizing, constricting burn inside his chest would not exist in the normal circumstances.

This was deeper, harder, darker.

It was family vs. Duty.

And it was _killing _him.

Because he would have to choose.

_In three days._

He would have to choose.

Garp knew his choice.

But as he sat there feeling silent despair over his decision he secretly, inherently hoped—

—for the Watchers to rise.

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His family was threatened and it was a transgression _they_ would pay for. Dearly.

Edward Newgate: Emperor, pirate captain, _father._

And one of his children had been _taken._

A son.

_Portgas D. Ace._

Whitebeard shifted his weight to get more comfortable in his throne-like chair, amber gaze observing the _preparations for war. _He would not, could not stand by while a son of his went - alone - to the slaughterhouse. To the marines.

They dared…

…to dim the happiness of his family.

…sadden his sons.

…_take away _one of his sons!

Without retribution? Whitebeard scowled fiercely. Oh, the marines would come to know retribution. It was a lesson they would know very well by the time he was done with them. Whatever uneasy truce had existed between them was gone now, burned and scattered to the winds._ War _took its place. _War_ seared the breasts of everyone present. _War_ hardened the determination to reclaim their lost sibling.

And looking at all his sons - fleet-footed, resolute, and ready - Whitebeard thought, _we'll bring war but only because you forced our hand. And know that when it is all over marines it was __**you**__ who brought hell raining down. _

The earth would shake with his rage.

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_I was dreaming._

_For only in my dreams could I be back at my Birthland. My home. The place I hadn't seen in over four hundred years._

_Anxious and bursting with excitement I looked around; trees, __**huge**__ trees stood before me. A forest. An old, old forest. It was_…_somehow familiar, but also completely unfamiliar. The trees - tall, thick, and emerald - loomed overhead, strangely foreboding despite the security they imbued me with. It was an odd, tremor of instinct. One that I outright ignored because this was my __**home**__. Even if I didn't immediately recognize it. _

_I knew. This place was mine - had been mine once upon a time. Four hundred years ago._

_But that feeling of unease remained. I couldn't dislodge it._

_Even as I shook with anticipation and happiness at my surroundings there were still areas in the forest that seemed empty, though being filled with towering trees and wildflowers and vines. A dragonfly flew through a beam of sunlight with a low buzz. Then, in the shadows, everything seemed to fade. It was like my sight was somehow duller than normal, all the color leached from my gaze, and the shadows were so dark, they almost seemed to swallow the light. I did not like the dark._

_Taking a slow step forward, I paused as I felt the crunch of a few twigs under my foot, but it was muffled. I looked down, both curious and hesitant, to see grey. Pale grey. Ash. Old ash. That foreboding feeling inside me pulsed, reached up to grab my throat and squeezed. _Spirits, why was there ash here? _Suddenly a sense of unbearable wrongness hit me, choked me._

_It was wrong. _

_I felt wrong._

_I couldn't explain it. Stepping forward again, I looked around, brown-teal eyes wide with trepidation. This nagging feeling ate at me, and my heart pounded in my chest with fear. "H-hello?" My eyes darted back and forth, taking in every sight I possibly could. My senses strained but there was nothing in the forest but the scent of ash. Nothing at all seemed out-of-place, but that didn't mean everything was alright. _

Why was there ash!

_"Is anyone there?" I moved forward again, spotting a rough path through the woods just ahead of me. My instincts weren't tripped when I walked closer so it was safe but the feeling_…

_That feeling of wrongness intensified._

_The moment my foot touched the path, the sound of loud, hissing crackles caught my attention. My head shot up of its own accord, turning towards the sound, even as my heart hammered inside my ribcage. When my eyes landed on the inferno, they widened with horror. _

Oh Spirits! No, not here! My home!

_The wild blaze sped through the forest like hungry wolves, devouring tree stumps and vegetation with mindless gluttony. Ash and cinder rode the wind and tainted the air with foulness that stung my nostrils. It was a putrid smell that immediately overtook the sweet scent of wildflowers. Of life. _

_"No…"_

_The raging fire raced on, closer to me, and right behind it_…

_Nothing. At. All._

_But._

_death._

_I screamed. But the terrified sound cut off abruptly. _What was that?_ There was something among all the ash and devastation! _

_A man?_

_Someone from my homeland! Alive!_

_And then I was running, flying towards that survivor. All my fear, all my terror vanished under the mantra of _help him!

Help him, help him, help him.

_But as I ran toward the wall of hissing, spitting flame it brought me no closer to my goal. The man stayed out of my reach. _

_Forever._

_I screamed, cried, shouted. The man gave no response. But I continued to run, continued to hope he would turn and see me._

_He never did._

_And yet, I still ran toward the flame. That blazing, hellish red flame._

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Something engulfed Skulley J. Liberty, soft and fluttery, dragging her from the inky well of slumber. Heart pounding with fright the Tri-horn tried drawing in a breath but an unknown obstruction blocked her airway. Not enough to completely impede her intake of oxygen but the strange object over her face was enough to send her instincts blaring with panic.

Thrashing her head side to side, Liberty struggled in-between the grip of reality and REM sleep to shake off her attacker. But the nameless, faceless foe clung to her with unfailing resolve.

…_Wh…a…?_

Liberty's conscious took one step toward reality.

…_Wha…s…tha?_

And another step.

…_What…is…that?_

She continued to flail drowsily, wings twitching at her sides, body jerking involuntarily.

_What is…that on __**my face!**_

Brown-teal eyes popped open on a gasp and for an instant all Lib could see was black, black on white. _Shit, fuck, fire! What__** is **__that!_ Confusion, lethargy, and fear had her wings whipping up to her face - Lib hissed at the fact that her wings had no extendable claws like Jillian's did - only to grab…paper?

_Wait, hold the rain?_

Liberty blinked owlishly at what she held in her hands. A newspaper. Part of one anyway. A newspaper…had…been on her…face. _Okay_… Maybe it was a good thing Jillian wasn't here right now. Lib knew for a fact the Hellfire would never let her live it down, and there would be no end to _the looks_ either_. _Spirits, Jillian would've given her the _really-really-you-got-spooked-by-a-harmless-piece- of-paper _look. The Tri-horn rolled her eyes while sitting up, the bright sunlight warm on her body. She was too groggy to notice though.

_Urgh, okay so it's a newspaper. Be very glad newspaper that you're an inanimate object because if you'd been mortal…Your ass would be flaying right now!_

But what the hell was a newspaper doing this high up in a mangrove for Spirits' sake? _The wind, dumbass!_ her mind railed waspishly. Oh yeah, Liberty was not an easy riser.

_No need to be mean to_—

Liberty smacked herself on the forehead. _No arguing with yourself!_ She was groggy, tired, and annoyed that a piece of paper had ended her…nap. _Nap? Wait a minute! When did I fall asleep? _

Then she noticed the sun and its position.

_Oh._ She'd been napping for two hours. Lib blamed the sunlight. It was warm on her skin; being so relaxed with the sun beaming down just _called_ for a nap. How could anyone - besides Jillian of course - not recline back, close their eyes, and _not_ fall asleep. _Meh._

Brown-teal eyes suddenly sparked with rapt curiosity, she wondered if the newspaper was new, and if it held any valuable information. Hastily the Tri-horn spread the paper and looked to the title, and paled.

Eyes widened, breath wheezed to a stop, hands trembled, and at first it didn't compute but the big bold letters allowed for no such ignorance. They loomed on the page like black hooded wraiths wielding the absolute truth.

_No…No! No! No! No! No! No!_

No. It repeated like some human record player broken beyond repair. With an angry shout - _No! I won't let them! _- Liberty threw the newspaper into the wind and glared shakily as it flew away on the breeze. She couldn't _believe_ it. Sitting there numb but feeling too much was more than she - still lethargic and sluggish - could take. Because there was _no way_ they would be that cruel, no way _fate _would be that cruel. There was just _no way!_

…_They'd made a promise…_

It echoed around her consciousness with all the disruptive prowess of an air horn, bringing to heel the chaotic veil of shocked emotion that ate at her composure like rabid wolves. Those four words continued to echo, round and round, until some semblance of calm had been reclaimed. Oh, the panic and disbelief were still there under the surface but a layer of placidity had taken hold; Lib's mind cleared but the trembling remained.

…_They'd made a__** promise**__…_

They - Liberty and Jillian - had indeed made a promise, a vow of sacred guardianship. They were Watchers. They were Portgas D. Ace's Watchers, and they were sworn to protect their own. Ace was their own, a Gifted by blood. However diluted it was didn't matter, he was still one of them, therefore his life was precious.

_Far more precious than you could ever understand you Verdaron spawned marines! _Skulley J. Liberty hated very few things in life, it was naturally hard to even arouse her hatred, but she _hated_ with every fiber of her being the marines. There were exceptions to the rule but she could count them on one wing. But she hated the marines for stealing away a close friend twenty years ago; while it had been his choice she still placed the blame on the bastards.

It was their fault Roger was dead. Their fault! And now they were trying to steal another friend from her. A sin. It was the _highest _sin in her mind. One that was so unforgivable that it made her sick just thinking about it.

_Ace_…

They were going to_ kill _Ace. The thought immediately had a foul bile choking her airway and Liberty groaned with the effort to push it back. To quell the sudden urge to empty her stomach. Nausea had her swaying in her seat for which she was glad the branch was a thick one. Claws dug into rough bark to steady herself but it didn't help the queasiness, the utter revulsion that thundered through her.

Fear.

It rose from the sickness, an ugly fierce emotion that solidified the ice in her veins. Ace was in danger and as his Watcher she was tasked to save him from that danger. And yet…

Liberty swallowed back more bile, face ghostly white, body shaking. And yet…

She was a failure. She couldn't…do it-

Alone.

The realization that came with that notion was a Godsend. It shoved the fear back, and the_ memories _as well. It shed light into all the dark corners filled with doubt and terror and horror. It seared her veins with warmth and melted the ice. A simple four letter word was her salvation, her courage, her sanctuary. And with acute desperation her mind grabbed onto it, held tight, and repeated it.

_Jill._

Jill could save him. She _would_ save him. Her best friend would stop her from failing! Jillian was very serious about her duty as a Watcher. Therefore, she could not fail. No, she _would not_ fail. She had to find Jill. It was the only way - the best way - to save Ace. Together. There was no time to lose!

_Find her._

_Find her._

_Find her._

A new urgency swelled inside Liberty. _Find Jill._ Which gave birth to steadiness and determination. They melded together to form a fixed resolve, a single-minded state that bled into action.

Liberty climbed to her feet, her natural dragonic balance keeping her grounded to the branch even as she was buffeted by the fast-moving wind. _Find Jill_. It was the resolution she repeated in her head, like a mantra, a prayer, it gave her strength both mental and emotional.

An invisible shield against the panic, the fear, the memories, and _the failure_. She bent her knees bracing the muscles before taking the leap. Heights were no problem to a Gifted and jumping from one perch - a tree branch - to another - a roof - was hatchling's play.

Too bad the sight of another type of blue and white threw off her trajectory. Where her fall was once easy and thrilling was now wrought with surprise and panic.

_Oh shit_—

Her ankle rolled with her rough landing. _Thud._

The pouch strapped to her side didn't take said landing well. _Clunk._

And neither did her head when it cracked against someone's chimney. _Ow._

Dazed, dizzy, and in pain Lib looked up just in time to meet the hidden gaze of Kid's first mate, Killer. _Oh shit! Oh no! Bad! This is very bad! _She chittered sporadically when he abruptly lunged for her. In an instant, a mere second of time several things happened. With Killer so near and in sight Liberty's blood rushed, roaring through her veins in time to the frantic beating of her heart. Right beside it came adrenaline a primal drug that flooded her veins and jump-started her legs.

The effect of it burst through her muscles when she made the first frenetic leap across the rooftops. It pushed her to hit the ground - the next roof - running, mouth spewing bawdy curses towards men, idiots, and _rough landings_. It pushed her to lengthen her stride so she could meet the edge faster, launch herself farther, and, well, spew more curses over her shoulder - _muckworm git, hog-raping-son-of-a-bitch, tree-humping assface, troll-sucking-bastard!_ It also pushed her to _ignore _(not really)said predator leaping at her heels, the surprised exclamations from the humans down below, and the pain lancing up from her ankle and head.

Skulley J. Liberty ignored everything but the urge, the instinct to run. Running to safety. Running away. Running…running without thought, without any greater direction than away. Just away.

Away from Killer and all he represented. _Kid._ _Heat. Domination!_

She could've dropped down to ground level, lost the first mate - _Stop chasing me you limp cock-knocker! -_ in the choking throng of people, but said Tri-horn was too busy looking for new routes and yelling over her shoulder with all the spiteful fury of a pissed off badger.

However, she wasn't a sprinter like Jillian, thus such a pace - hellish and draining as it was - wasn't something she could keep up for long, regardless of her heightened endurance or not. The added flailing, indecisive pauses at random corners, and ribald screaming involving manhood and lewd debauchery didn't help matters either.

Her lungs burned and ached beneath her ribs, the air expanding them sharp and piercing. Adrenaline helped to stave off the pain of extended motion but it still caused Lib to pant and gasp like some overworked horse. Even so the Tri-horn did not stop…nor did the cursing; not when Kid's first mate was somewhere behind her in hot pursuit. She could hear him over the whistling wind in her ears, he was behind some because - thank the Spirits - he was human, therefore slower than a Gifted.

But that didn't mean she was losing him. He was keeping up. Amazingly. Or not…"_You pit-spawned-goat-raping-fuckface! Why don't…you go eat…a bowl of dicks!"_

_Shit, fuck, fire! This human is fast! _

Legs pumping wildly Liberty spotted a ladder to a loft on a higher level, though it was to the right of her. _Argh!_ The Tri-horn pivoted sharply in the direction of the ladder by using a thin clay pillar to throw herself around without losing any momentum. She didn't look back to see if her whiplash-like turn had lost her tail or not, though she hoped it had. The ladder shook and rattled when she scrambled up it like a dragon possessed. Lib hurled herself over the rooftop, cursing her misfortune, and sent a foot kicking out behind her to hit the topmost rug which sent the whole thing tumbling down. Hopefully it would buy her some time - _stupid douchenozzle bumblefucking shitpickle! _She had to find someplace to lose the - _bitchface! -_ pirate…ergo, Supernova.

Breathing heavily she bolted to the left side calf muscles tensing for the anticipated launch. Scanning the width frantically, the Tri-horn misjudged the distance between her perch and the next and would have missed the ledge had she not used her spiked tail as a counter balance. It was a desperate move full of windmilling arms, yelping, and a mantra of _no-please-c'mon-no-please-c'mon_ but her tail proved a successful grappling hook to which she pulled herself up with.

The motion was quick but Liberty lost her lead.

_Not alone,_ her instincts wailed loudly. _He's coming! _Then she was scrambling for purchase over the roof, claws digging in for leverage so she could rise and run. The swiftly approaching heartbeat and footsteps had Liberty chittering in fright when she finally managed to propel herself forward. Leg muscles bunched, clenched as they released a burst of energy to fling her weight across to the next building.

Her soles were sore from all the up and down across rooftops but this time her stride went uninterrupted, however her pursuer was closer now. A fact that had a whole new brand of anxiety dashing through her system.

Launch, leap, flail, land, curse, run. Launch, leap, yelp, land, curse louder, run. Dodge the chimney, curse the chimney, jump over the balcony, hurl a curse over her shoulder, and repeat. _Does this guy ever give up!_ Not in the hair-rising minutes they'd been caught in this cat and mouse had Killer slowed his pace. Terror and confusion at that thought burned in the back of Lib's throat, frustration tightened the furrow between her eyes, and exhaustion had an agonizing amount of lactic acid scorching her strained muscles. _Fuck you, Killer!  
_

But she kept moving despite the pain that had her hissing through grit teeth.

Running, running, running as if the dark gates of Verdaron itself were opening behind her. The constant feeling of being followed, no chased, no _hunted _like an animal overwhelmed her beyond control. _Scared_ her beyond control; had her instincts shrieking crazily. Skulley J. Liberty _**did not **_like being chased. Hated to be chased by _anything. _It was a fear that went hand in hand with her fear of the dark.

And right now it held her tightly in its grasp.

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Her side ached. Her legs had gone numb minutes ago and she was no longer sure what grove she was in at the moment. Sights blurred in her vision as she sped over rooftops, across eaves, balconies, bridges. It all became one big collage of colors and indistinct shapes to Liberty. For how long Killer had been chasing her was something lost to her instinctive mind. Time held no weight to her in such a mentality.

Only the drumming heartbeat, near silent footsteps, and an even quieter foe mattered - _ass-munch-on-a-stick!_ What scared Lib more than anything was the silence that dogged her, a silence she filled desperately with her words and swears. The first mate was completely silent, Killer hadn't uttered a word to her during their mad run through the Sabaody Archipelago. And it frightened her.

Liberty would rather have had a loud, threatening hunter than one who followed her quietly. Just listening to the barely there thuds of his footfalls sent fearful adrenaline raging through her blood. Panic always followed on its heels, widening her eyes, choking her throat, stealing her breath, _and_ her lessening strength.

Her tiredness was quickly becoming a problem in that she was tripping more, her feet not as sure when they landed or jumped. More and more she was having to watch herself when she leaped off and when she landed. It was getting harder to roll with longer distances then shove herself up while pistoning her legs beneath her. If she lost any forward motion her body would crash and no amount of cursing would get her back up. Fleetingly, Lib entertained the idea of facing her stalker, fighting him, but instinct had essentially stolen the choice from her before she could decide.

It bid her to run. So she ran.

Now though her energy was at an all time low and she was slipping…literally.

_Shit, fuc__—_

Her foot missed the next ledge and suddenly she was plummeting. Why Liberty didn't just summon her wings and fly away was simple. Human flesh was still strange and awkward to her, and instinctual reception between forms was hardly fit for translation. So when her Tri-horn instinct said _fly _her human flesh said _run!_

Lib shrieked, flailing her arms wildly. The wind whipped around her descending body as she fell the eight stories to an alley. Her throat closed, horrible fear clenching it tight cutting off her ear-piercing scream. She was blinded by terror in those few seconds, her stomach roiling and flipping at the disturbing sensation of gravity pulling her down, down, down.

Frightened brown-teal eyes closed as she sensed the ground rising to meet her. _NOO!_

Then she crashed into hardness but it wasn't the unforgiving ground as it gave under her weight with a loud expletive. Body and mind still humming with adrenaline and violent fear Liberty attempted to rise, promptly nose-dived, and hit something soft…and furry?

_W-what?_

Heart pounding out a continuous rhythm of furious shock impeded Lib's most basic deduction skills. Hence, the Tri-horn stared blankly, in frozen fear, up at the sky. For several seconds she did this until the ground started moving beneath her. Strange noises flew into her ears, alien sounding and muffled. It was a rough growl that pricked something in her mind.

Reality came slamming back into her head like a pissed off Sea King. _Oh…my…Spirits…_

Whatever she'd landed on didn't consist of dirt and stone. It felt like a…body. A very robust body at that.

A keen of distress ripped from Liberty's throat when she realized just _who_ she was laying on. That spicy almond scent…with undertones of metallic tang; blood. Oh no. Unbidden a vision swept over her mind's eye.

_Rippling crimson eyes gleamed from a pale face. Red-orange hair, wild and tousled, rose up like flame. A powerful frame encompassed in a thick, flurry coat. _It was an image Lib desperately fought to ignore and banish from her thoughts. But it was deeply embedded in her psyche.

_Fucking Verdaron!_

It _was him. _

Liberty whimpered. _Why me! _At the feeling of - _hot and heavy! _- hands against her sides she_ lost it_. What little reason had trickled back into her skull vanished under a wave of deafening apprehension. The force of it blared from her lungs in a scream, a shriek, a howl of pure unadulterated_ fright_. Her body once frozen still by her abrupt fall from the rooftops came alive with energy born of primal fear, then she was wiggling, struggling, twisting for freedom.

And away from the bloodthirsty psychopath she'd used as her landing pad.

_Kid…_

Pale, powerful hands came up to grab her, restrain her, and pin her down, but Lib was already backpedaling like a mad woman. There was _no way _she was getting caught by Eustass "Captain" Kid! Not here, not anywhere! The air in her lungs whooshed out in a strange wheezing hiss as she threw herself backward. The sound of it was both guttural and weak in pitch but no less meaningful; shock, fear, anxiety, worry, and weariness were clear in her cry of surprise.

At the sight of the Supernova she'd given herself no time to think, or even to breathe, all she did was _act_. Pure instinct. Because seeing him had a well of memories pushing to the fore of her mind, screaming warnings and threats; with this man there was no time to plan an escape, she had to move _now_ because he'd be there to counter her by _later_. So when she was seemingly free from Kid's cursing, grasping frame, hands and knees clambering over sand and dirt, she immediately scrambled to get away. The ground though was full of loose rock that gave under her weight like a slippery fish; it was hard to keep her balance on unstable ground when her body already felt like a wet noodle.

Twitching fingers scrabbled, pushed up, shoved with strength born of dread and shock. It would've gotten her to her feet but the worst possible thing happened. An unusually strong wave of exhaustion reached its zenith, and her emotional capacity hit the dregs of her mentality. Liberty's body had had enough, trembling muscles decided to give up, and everything was_ shutting down. _For an instant she felt an inkling of confusion at her abrupt case of extreme lethargy. But…

Her elbows buckled.

…And then the bewilderment vanished along with her consciousness.

_SMACK!_

A burst of pain across her face was the only thing that registered right before everything went black.

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He had her.

He _had_ her.

He_ fucking __**had **_the bitch!

_Finally._

And it had taken a week and two days.

Too damn long in his mind. But then again Kid had never thought himself a patient man. He knew it, his crew knew it, and well, a lot of dead people knew it too. Or at least they _had_ before he'd slaughtered the raving idiots. He _hated_ whining, blathering _weaklings! _Fuck citizens! He would rather be surrounded by the sea and strong people, ergo his crew and his ship.

And now…

Blistering red eyes narrowed.

Now…he had his dragon to add to his strength.

But did she have to fucking knock herself out! An angry scowl stole over Kid's face; he'd been hoping to go another round with _Skulley J. Liberty_. But the bitch was turning out to be a little rebel even when she was asleep.

Agitated the Supernova climbed to his feet, white knuckled hands braced on his hips as he cracked his neck. The _Gifted_ just had to land on him like he was some Goddamned _cushion_. _Fucking wench!_

He'd been on his way to the bar too. Grog had been on his mind to stop the headache brewing between his eyes.

Then **BAM!**

He's on the ground with that fucking headache splitting his skull. His temper snarls to life hissing…

Kill. Maim. Slaughter.

_Whoever_ was laying on his dick! Because it _fucking hurt! _And they were _going to __**die!**_

Then his eyes caught three things.

Teal hair, brown-teal eyes, and soft, soft _familiar_ curves.

Kid's murderous countenance instantly spread into a grin, an expression that was growing increasingly popular when he saw _his_ dragon. The anger, of course, had fallen away at the sight of her, thus smoothing into a giddy determined emotion that seared his veins like adrenaline. Or alcohol. Both worked just as well in the 'cloud nine' department. Because standing there in some dirty, dank back alley the most volatile Supernova found himself experiencing the heady euphoria of a well-worn victory.

Cloud nine.

He was fucking _on it._

The sound started off small, barely audible as it bubbled up his throat in quick snapping chuckles. The display of mirthful victory intensified then, rolling up through his chest in husky sniggers that shook his broad shoulders before bursting into full-throated laughter. Eyes wide and glazed with dark manic gaiety Kid continued to laugh and guffaw, hands spread wide, heavy coat flaring as he whirled on his silent first mate.

Killer stood not but a few feet from his cackling captain, a wraith in the shadows, silent and watchful. Yet, the air of smug arrogance and triumph pervaded him like a form of noxious gas. Setting out early in the morning the Massacre Soldier never foresaw the run-in with Skulley J. Liberty, or the result. He didn't believe in fate - he liked to think he was in control of his own destiny - but running into Kid while chasing their target was… Odd? Strange? Coincidence?

He shook his head; his thoughts were better placed elsewhere. It was a waste of time thinking such petty notions, anyway.

"Oi, Killer! Run ahead and tell the bastards I'll be bringing a_ guest _back!" His captain broke into another round of raspy chortles, Killer could feel the effect of his triumph in the way the air tensed and eddied. Kid's power seemed to dance and thrum beside him, the metal lying around humming along with his satisfaction. But it was an unconscious pull from his devil fruit which seemed tied to his captain's emotions when he wasn't actively using it.

Lips quirking slightly from beneath his mask Killer crouched before shooting off over the lip of the alley. He had his orders and he would execute them immediately.

Eustass "Captain" Kid watched his first mate disappear from the alley with gleaming crimson eyes. Killer would see it done that his crew were aware of his eventual return and their new crewmate.

Crewmate. Yes. _Yes._ How delicious it was to say that word with confidence. Even better, it was true. Not just some goal he was striving for. It was _true_. Kid smirked and turned to look at_ her._

It was the first time the Supernova had seen her so still. It was also the first time Kid could stand back and study her without pause or outside interference. He had no compunction about leering over her.

He was the damn _captain;_ he could look at anyone any way he wanted. _Especially_ when they were a member of his crew. Heavy boots thudded over gravel as he walked closer red eyes tracing curves and aesthetics that were so alien to his own. If anyone were to simply glance at Skulley J. Liberty nothing of her species would strike them, the disguise _looked_ human. But if you peered closer…the dissemble fell away under the weight of her extraneous origins. Though it still caught him just how strong the illusion was - he would have to be on his guard because it was very easy to forget the woman before him wasn't just a woman but something far more dangerous. He'd have to watch himself when she woke up.

Kid found it interesting though, that she - one of the famed Wyvern Sisters - would choose to look so _human_ while in all actuality there wasn't a shred of humanity in that sprawled out form. He found it ironic that the Wyvern Sisters paraded around in flesh that wasn't their own and yet they didn't have a_ clue _about his species. _Humans. _

They understood very little, even with all the knowledge they carried, it still wasn't enough. Merely watching them proved they weren't human. Oh, their acting was near flawless, but something just seemed off. It wasn't a visible crack in their proverbial armor, more of a feeling that washed over the senses whispering _not-like-us._

Now Kid wasn't a genius nor was he overly analytical but he could damn well tell when some poor fucker was lying to him. The Grand Line didn't suffer fools and he _definitely_ wasn't a fool. His intelligence stemmed from a wicked street sense nourished in the slums of the South and honed in the Grand Line itself. He knew for a fact the world was a screwed up place, the marines being the main contributors to the destruction. Pirates, at least, were frank in their deeds. People knew what to expect from them; pirates didn't hide behind stupid little codes and lies, they didn't_ hide _at all.

Which was why he could see past Skulley J. Liberty, past the disguise and… the _surface_; her core was violent, vicious, and…just like his. It was a familiarity he recognized, one he relished in when he slaughtered a marine base or killed a commodore. But she covered it with soft layers and poison, an exotic defense.

He would enjoy ripping it away…

The layers she wrapped herself in, the _human_ layers. Because Kid didn't want the_ human _Liberty. _Fuck no!_ He wanted the Liberty who'd decimated a pacifista, who'd left only a pile of smoking melted debris for the marines to find. The sight of it had been beautiful like some morbid structure of art. The memory of it brought on a wave of appreciation that immediately went down south.

Kid shifted around, cursing when his pants grew tight and uncomfortable. Skulley J. Liberty made destruction look like an art. It was a _fucking turn-on._

Then there was the issue of _her species_. She was obviously unaware of her attractiveness but she was also unaware of the way human men ticked; probably because she wasn't human first and foremost. Whatever culture she came from really sucked because they'd totally skipped Sex Ed. But that was okay_–_

Kid licked his lips.

–he prided himself on being a very, very good teacher.

That would come later though. Right now he had to get her back to his ship before she woke up and tried to escape. He sneered contemptuously; like he would allow that to happen. The last time they met he admitted to letting her go without a fight but that was a one time occurrence, it would never happen again. Oh no, she was never leaving his crew. _She was never leaving __**him.**_

Kid would make sure of it.

With a scornful scoff the Supernova bent his knees, reached down, and grabbed the scruff of Liberty's shirt. It took nothing to lift her up and sling her over his shoulder, she weighed very little to him, after all. He stood still for a moment adjusting his cargo so he was comfortable; one hand firmly gripping the Tri-horn's thighs Kid turned on heel and stalked away.

It was all the more gratifying when he reached the streets - people looked at him and ran.

Who wouldn't run when faced with a Glasgow smile from _Hell._

Oh yeah, Kid was satisfied and he hadn't even hit the bar yet.

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They could sense him long before he came into their sights, or maybe it was the palpable air of triumph he exuded that tickled them all with awareness. Kid's inner circle stood on the quarterdeck of Devil's Deceit and waited, some with bated breath, while others quietly tarried under the burgeoning whispers. It hadn't been long since Killer had alighted with news of Skulley J. Liberty's capture. Rowdy gossip spread quickly amongst the ranks of the Kid pirates, anticipation burst and spiraled as they all waited eagerly for their captain and _their guest_.

That little bit had many cackling; only their captain would say something so delusive. For several minutes all that could be heard was the rakish crowing and boorish comments of the men as they sank into celebratory drinking. What better way to pass the time but to fill it with rum and beer. And so the lower ranks brought out the barrels from the cargo hold and mug after mug was passed around; Kid's inner circle though did not join in with the rest of the crew. They remained, sober and still, lounging above the raucous partying…waiting.

_Chink-hiss_…_Chink-hiss_…

The effect was so immediate it was laughable. Noise, sound, laughter, drinking, it all halted at that threatening subtle warning. Killer's scythes. A Kid pirate knew that warning well - _quiet the fuck down or die._ Simple as that. The first mate didn't give second chances.

Silence.

Then they heard the telltale thud of boots on the gangplank; Kid had arrived. Anticipation and excitement grew like weeds, everyone wanted to _see_, to _witness_ the victory that had merely been news several minutes before.

Suddenly, Spine and Snake bellowed out two clamorous laudatory shouts. The gathered Kid pirates followed their lead seamlessly; as one they raised mugs of beer and fists in the air, and let out a stupendous cheer. When the Supernova finally appeared on the main deck his crew parted for him, and sure enough, Kid strutted arrogantly up the middle, brandishing the unconscious body of the Wyvern Sister on his shoulder, with a wide smirk. He seemed to swell with pride at the praise thrown his way, standing even taller than usual and puffing out his chest as he stalked through the crowd.

His stride was long, predatory, and smooth; a man who was comfortable with the power he held. And it was never more apparent than in that moment when Kid walked by with his chosen goal achieved. If any of his men had lingering doubts about his loyalty as a Kid pirate it was assuaged by such a display of confidence. If their captain could seemingly conquer a _dragon_ then anything was possible. _One Piece_ was possible.

Eustass "Captain" Kid made his way up the stairs to the quarterdeck, teeth bared in a grin of exaltation. His inner circle stood off to the side a variety of expressions staring out at him. The mohawk twins mirrored their captain by way of grinning like two lunatics which was usual for them, Wire leaned on his trident an air of calm satisfaction pervading him along with a slight smile though his face remained blank of any other emotion. Heat, who stood beside the Kid pirate doctor, held an expression that corresponded with Wire's in the fact that it was very subtle; a minor quirk of the lips that might've been a smirk was the only hint that he felt anything about their newest asset.

Having a flair for dramatics Kid used his devil fruit to open the door to the captain's cabin, it did so with a flourish, slamming into the wall with a loud bang. With one last smirk at his crew he stalked in the door swinging shut behind him.

A moment later the cacophony of noise and celebration continued.

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Up on the quarterdeck Snake slugged Spine in the arm. "Well, captain finally _got _her! Ha! Wonder what he's _doing_ right about now?" the orange twin quipped slyly. His younger brother rolled his eyes, quietly hissing, "Curiosity killed the cat dumbass," but it wasn't soft enough; Snake whirled on his sibling, eyes blazing angrily.

"Y'know what, smartass, satisfaction brought it back! So ha!"

Spine yawned slowly, mockingly, eyes trained on his huffing brother, "So? I don't see you gettin' any. Where's this satisfaction? Cause I know your ass hasn't been laid in _months! _You're practically a _virgin!_"

Snake sputtered furiously, eyes wide and face red, voice stuttering, "Y-you…_bitch!_" Then he lunged.

The three remaining members of the inner circle watched idly. It was a normal thing aboard the Devil's Deceit for the Mohawk twins to brawl with each other when pissed off, usually their fights were grounds for betting among the lower ranks. As long as they got their shit done around the ship Killer didn't bother with it. Neither did Wire; if anyone was stupid enough to injure themselves while_ playing _around with a fellow crewmate, well, Wire didn't see the need to patch such an idiot up.

He'd let them bleed.

Killer relaxed against the rail, he had half an ear trained on the Captain's cabin for any disturbance. Oh, it wasn't as if he didn't trust Kid with the dragon, but he was readily on guard if he needed aid on subduing such a creäture. Or if she escaped…

A slight shifting had Wire, Heat, and the Twins turning to him, eyes expectant. They knew the signs.

Mask tilting to the side in some semblance of authority, Killer spoke, his voice ringing with command, "Do not let your guard down, if she escapes _bring her down_."

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Kid stalked into his quarters like a determined bull with the warm body of his dragon still out cold on his shoulder. A sharp-eyed cursory glance around his office was all he spared that part of his rooms before turning towards a door to his immediate left. A solid slab of metal with no handle acted as his bedroom door; Kid was possessive of his territory, anyone who entered his domain freely would go to hell freely. The few exceptions to this rule were Killer, Wire, Heat, and the Twins.

When the Supernova stepped within five feet of his bedroom door it swung open; the existing magnetic field he'd placed on the metal years ago acted as a sort of sensor to his presence. With a mere application of his devil fruit he could activate the force around the door, thus it opening on command. Having no handle insured no one but him could enter without him consciously knowing it. If those of his inner circle - for whatever reason - needed to enter his room the door would open for them _only _because of his connection; the power of his devil fruit gave him the power over electromagnetic energy as well as a visceral sense to go with it.

Kid could tell just by a fluctuation in the waves of his power that a magnetic field had either been breached by an intruder or brushed by an ally. All in all he had several fields hovering over most of the metal on his ship; he knew the positions of nearly everyone at all hours of the day, though this information wasn't readily apparent in-less he focused on all the fields simultaneously which he didn't do often. The splitting migraine wasn't worth it half the time.

At the level he was at Kid could only access one magnetic field at a time; it took considerable focus to control all the metal in an area _and _another but he was steadily making progress. It wouldn't be long until he could control every field on his ship while synchronously commanding the metals inside them. Not only would his range widen but his devil fruits dependability on the surrounding environment would lessen.

He couldn't wait for the day where his control over his devil fruit hit its zenith.

The metallic door slid shut behind him after he cleared its threshold and then he was in his room. Kid smirked darkly. He was finally where he wanted to be; _on his ship with his dragon. _

Now the only pressing problem: how to stop her from escaping once she regained consciousness. Her inhuman strength was something to be wary of - a slow smile stole over his face - but Kid had found a solution to that.

It dealt with _distraction_. If Skulley J. Liberty was distracted, kept off-balance, she somehow 'forgot' that she was stronger than the average human. Kid had realized this during their fight in the bookstore. His nose was proof, it should've been healing still, even broken, but the book she'd thrown at him had only caused bruising. Most of her hits or scratches had healed, only the deep ones remained, but it proved one thing to Kid.

Whatever prowess she possessed as a dragon didn't accurately carry over when she was human. He would use that weakness to make sure she didn't escape him.

With a satisfied grunt Kid walked over to his bed and dumped his cargo on the mattress, then he stared.

"I told you didn't I that you'd be joining my crew." Kid voiced smugly, haughty red eyes roaming over Skulley J. Liberty, taking in her appearance with a critical eye. Little light came in through the modest square windows to his right but there was enough to illuminate his quarters. Enough to clearly make out everything about her.

The first thing he noticed was how…good her…coloring went with his sheets. The softly glowing hair went well with the burgundy of his duvet. Impulsively, as he followed such urges, Kid reached out grabbing a lock and examining it with narrowed eyes. It was thick and silky, slipping through his fingers like slick oil. He liked the sensation of it feathering over his skin. Another interesting detail; the hair on her arms - hair that did nothing in Kid's mind - was also teal. Idly, with a wolfish smile and hooded sinful eyes, Kid wondered if the patch of feminine curls hiding under her jeans was teal too.

It was entirely too tempting to check. He didn't.

He wanted to though.

But he had to deal with her eventual awakening. _What to do, what to do? What the fuck am I going to do? _His brow furrowed in thought, eyes trained on Liberty's still form, idea's speeding through his mind at light speed. It was easy to deduce that as soon as the bitch awoke and realized where she was running would become a priority. So how to stop her from running at all?

…

His narrowed gaze landed on a knapsack suddenly, it was half hidden as it was pinned under her hip, but after a moment of blank staring Kid snarled. _That fucking pouch! _She probably stored those Goddamn needles in there, poison too. Poison she had _dared _use against _him! _Lips curled in sneer Kid ripped the damn thing away from his unconscious crew member, he would lock it in his desk later and put a field aro—

That was it!

_Why the hell didn't I think of that before! _He had never tried erecting a field where the waves flowed inward instead of outward. But if he got it right then he could simply focus the magnetic field on repelling the inside force every time it caused a flux. If that was within his power than she wouldn't be able to leave a certain area though he would have to attach something metallic to her that couldn't be removed by her hand.

That was the biggest obstacle.

For his idea to work would call for two opposite charges positioned within each other. The inside metal would possess a Diamagnetic field while the outside metal would possess a Ferromagnetic field. A Ferromagnetic metal - the _iron_ frame to his bed - held a stronger charge which would overlap the weaker Diamagnetic metal, therefore causing it to constantly repel backward.

All he needed was something to attach to her that wouldn't be easy to remove. Kid glanced around his room, red eyes intent for a piece of metal that could be used for what he had in mind. He found the perfect piece in a pile of metallic items near his nightstand. A gruff call of "Repel" had it flying into his hand where he studied its magnetism - it was iron! - and durability. It had to be strong to resist the hell his dragon would put through it, she was a fighter, so she would struggle against him; Kid knew this for a fact. Skulley J. Liberty had never had a captain before to his knowledge, therefore she would be surly and defiant while she adjusted to his authority.

But she_ would _adjust.

She would have no choice but to bend to him…and he would break her if he had to.

Kid sneered at his thoughts; it would probably be easy to break her down too, she'd given him an obvious opening.

Skulley J. Liberty didn't like _violence._

He'd have to change that.

Gripping the flat-iron plate in his hand Kid prowled closer to his bed, sat down on the edge, and grabbed his dragon. Needing both hands he set down Liberty's poison pouch before taking the metal between his fingers and using his devil fruit wrapped it around the woman's neck tightly, oh not enough to constrict her breathing, but to the point where it hugged her throat like a second skin. The metal was durable so he could bend it easily, however it took him a while to get the length right, he didn't want it overlapping - Liberty would have a hand-hold to rip away at if he did. What he wanted was a neck piece that met together perfectly and since it was iron he could control the magnetization on a greater level.

The air around him literally churned and whirled like a tiny maelström; the two fields that were coalescing under the guidance of his power were starting the constant attractive and repulsive force that was magnetism. The slight push and pull at his senses told him the fields were strong and active. _Let's see you escape this, bitch!_

When Kid was done tampering with his masterpiece even he had trouble finding where the ends met which was why he was satisfied. Standing back to his feet, grabbing the damn pouch so he didn't forget it, he appraised his handiwork. The iron was smooth in texture and matte grey in color, and about 3" in width. To tell the truth Kid thought it looked good on her. Now if only it had his Jolly Roger imprinted on it then he would truly be satisfied.

But for now it would serve its purpose. Smirking rather diabolically Eustass "Captain" Kid chuckled roughly before leaving his room the silent hiss of his door shutting behind him.

Liberty didn't move a muscle from where she lay amid maroon bedclothes.

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The sun was bright, hot, and irritating from its position in the sky. A big ball of fiery hydrogen right smack in the middle of a sea of blue. For many people, namely the citizens of Sabaody Archipelago, it was the time to adjourn back to colder places of relaxation. Nobles and commoners alike followed this social movement, whether because it was seen as 'proper' for that station or from some intolerance to heat was only known to those who actually participated in the activity. Nevertheless, hundreds of citizens disappeared off the streets like clockwork.

There were those of course who weren't bothered by the sweltering heat, some even seemed to enjoy the weather. The Kid pirates were one such group; being natives from South Blue most of the crew were used to hotter climates so work around the ship that day went unimpeded. Though once noon rolled around…

"COME N' GET YER GRUB, YOU STINKIN' LOUTS!"

…Lunch.

And a literal stampede.

Though they were pirates, lawless and greedy, the schedule they followed was fixed, and they knew the times; breakfast, lunch, dinner, eight o'clock, twelve o'clock, and seven o'clock. If you were dumb enough to ignore the shout then you'd go hungry. And no one was dumb enough it seemed as a monstrous wave of pounding footsteps rushed the double doors leading down into the galley.

It was _on_.

Snake and Spine sprinted ahead of the game, fighting to be the first inside, the first to wrap their hands around a steaming bowl of stew. Everyone had been smelling it for the past hour or so, but no one dared enter the galley. Brun the cook would kick up a row if anyone, excluding Kid and Killer, opened his doors before he shouted. More than a couple of crew members carried scars from making such a mistake, it took only one run in with Brun's cooking knife for some cocky newbie to learn his lesson.

But once that shout rang in the ears it was free for all. First come, first serve. That was how it worked on Kid's ship. Yet, Brun always,_ always _held six bowls away from the rest, the 'inner circle' were above the rabid frenzy that hit his counter three times a day, they were the main hands on deck with key positions, which meant they didn't have to involve themselves with the rush. They could simply walk in at their leisure, grab up a bowl, and eat. Or in Killer's case slurp it through a straw.

After the bum-rush to the food everyone settled down at the wooden tables to eat, conversation and gossip filling the large chamber with noise. The most prevalent sound, even above all the talking, was the slurp and chewing of the men as they ate their meal and drank whatever bottles of beer or rum they'd brought in with them.

Over by the _newbie table _- Snake had used the name repeatedly until it stuck - the men were discussing the newest addition to the crew. "Did ya see 'er curves! Did ya see 'em! She's a right beauty, that 'ne!" slurred an oily voice.

"Ah, shield yer dead lights, you mangy sea rat!" cursed another voice. The irritation in the tone went ignored by the smashed first speaker.

"She be perched up there like a toff, sittin' all pretty on 'is shoulder." Came Grent's drunken laugh from across the table. "Aye, if only the Capt'n would let us at 'er we could make 'er sing like a canary. She be never wantin' to leave us after we's done with 'er!"

"Aye, that be true." Hicks agreed lustily, "Sing like a pretty birdie she would, especially if I were to give it to 'er."

"_You? _You bloody cocksucker!" guffawed another man named Welvin loudly, "ye can't get it up 'ccording to that whore Beatrice four islands back!" He sniggered and the rest joined him in the merriment; a scowling Hayes was the only one who sat silently, expression irked by the other newcomers. They were all fools to be talking like that; there was a reason Kid had paraded around the deck before disappearing into his cabin. It was a message to the crew: Skulley J. Liberty was off-limits. Clearly, the brainless scallywags were disregarding the captain's warning. They were lucky none of the higher hands were within hearing range, if they were…

Well, he wanted no part in it. Hayes liked living.

Hicks glowered angrily across the table at Welvin who merely grinned at him with a toothy smile.

"Beatrice is a lying bitch who I shagged and then stole me money back after. Conniving wench she is, bad mouthing me 'cause I's caught 'er doin' it!" spat Hicks furiously, face red from anger and booze. He glared at a still smiling Welvin. "You want proof?" he growled hoarsely and his hands dropped to the belt of his breeches.

A muscle jumped on Hayes jaw at the display. "Put it away Hicks." He snapped waspishly. Grent sniggered slyly, "Aye, wouldn't want to embarrass yerself now would ya?"

"Or make us laugh!" came another comment from a man called Tyndall. "Seeing as it's so _small!_" The group - excluding Hayes - broke out into raucous laughter while Hicks spat off to the side in anger.

"Yeah well, I still think the Capt'n's robbin' us of a tasty bit." He gnashed out drunkenly. "'e probably doin' 'er right now. And look at us! Sittin' all high an' dry! Wha' happened to 'rogered at the rail by one and all and then thrown overboard, to fend for themselves', eh? Where's our share?"

Hayes didn't pity the lad for being so stupid. Eustass "Captain" Kid had bigger goals than hitting the next brothel and he was a better man for it. Though the four idiots he was forced to eat with were obviously born of a lower ilk and so weren't aware of Kid's higher calling.

The captain of the Kid pirates wasn't ruled by his dick.

"Capt'n ain't like that." he muttered around a bite of stew. The four rapscallions stopped to look at him with varying expressions, some were actually wary of his warning tone, while others like Hicks and Grent remained agitated.

"Then 'e don't seem much like a pirate to me then." Grent swore. "Last Capt'n _I_ sailed wit' would've passed 'er round like dessert. Now 'e was a true pirate and 'e wasn't even a Supernova!"

The table quieted. Hayes stared incredulously, saying "That seems _mighty _close to mutinous talk ye flea ridden blaggard."

Grent scoffed at him derisively and hissed, "I 'as just saying. Not me fault if_ its true_."

Hayes suddenly stiffened, that self-preservation instinct that had saved his life more times than he could count screaming. Slowly he turned around and blanched. Killer stood silently behind their table, hands calmly at his sides, mask tilted in such a way that blared _danger-danger! _to him. Hayes swallowed thickly and nearly choked on the bite he'd forgotten was in his mouth.

Shortly after that the four _mongrels_ noticed the looming figure of the first mate. They paled.

Killer watched them all through narrowed eyes, not that anyone could see anyway. The effect was far more intimidating than if he wasn't wearing his mask; people no matter how tough they thought they were always grew unnerved when their eyes couldn't focus on any conceivable emotion. The psychological torture they went through was made from their own minds, he simply stood by and let them tear down their own defenses with _assumptions._ Such a technique was probably at work right at that moment with the newbies practically sweating under his stare.

And with good reason too. Killer had heard a few words too much that he _did not like. _His sharp hearing missed very little and this situation was nothing new, he was just happy one had finally cracked. The first mate gave an inaudible snort; Kid's way of picking up candidates was an easy but sometimes annoying process. It was just a quirk of his captain and a very devious way to prove which newbie was loyal enough.

See Kid had a habit of only choosing one person at a time - with the rare exception of the Twins - to become an official Kid pirate. The first test was power and style, if Kid noticed you at all and if you really had something to keep him interested you were made a newbie. Killer had witnessed Kid's eye for power, it was well honed, it was also a skill he trusted completely. Next, would be the trial test, the sort of preliminary run that proved whether or not you were Kid pirate material.

Over a series of weeks Kid along with his inner circle would see how much of an asset you were, how much work you did around the ship, raids, fighting…etcetera…etcetera. When and if you passed that you moved on to the final and most important test, loyalty. Kid didn't tolerate traitors, backstabbers, rapists, and especially _mutineers._

The test of loyalty was closely watched over by the inner circle, if by any chance one of them caught a newbie who'd stepped out of line they were immediately _eliminated_ until there was only one left. The process worked well enough for everyone, Killer smirked, probably because the eliminating was _fun. _Killer could always bet on there being some sort of hotshot in the group, they usually went first.

And he'd just caught the cocky _dead man. _Or should he say_ men?_

It was obvious who held the most loyalty among the group. The man had been quiet from the start, his facial expression and irritation concerning the conversation evident to everyone who'd been watching. Wire wanted him for an assistant since the man - _Hayes_, Killer thought mentally - had shown an aptitude for medical expertise as well as a good lookout, the man, Hayes, had sharp eyes.

So his fate had already been decided since before Killer had made his way behind the table. The inner circle had made their decision and since Kid hadn't made his way down to the galley he would do the liberty's.

The newbies, meanwhile, had grown more pale the longer he stood there, silent. They could sense the danger, the approaching doom on the horizon; only one would survive. Killer relaxed his stance some, smiled cruelly, and stalked over to the table. He almost, _almost_ chuckled when he literally felt the tension _double. _

He would enjoy this.

"I heard you…," he intoned calmly, though his cruel smile never let up. It widened when the four newbies tensed. "and you're right. Kid isn't a pirate…" Killer slipped both hands into his gauntlets hidden under his red sash, fingers brushing the hilts of the sheathed scythes behind him. The words he'd spoken were a good distraction in that it was very disarming and the oblivious four hadn't noticed his move; pathetic. Hayes did though and it just cemented his decision to have him as a Kid pirate. He was observant. "He's a king-to-be." he finished menacingly, then he lunged.

The seething hiss of his scythes slicing though muscle, bone, and ligament was like an aphrodisiac on his soul. They never stood a chance, not when they were drunk, sloppy, and sitting down like a bunch of ducks. Killer found the lack of readiness disgusting. The screams were a nice balm to his revulsion, that is until they abruptly cut off when he slashed their vocal cords. Now listening to the wet heaving chokes of a man drowning in his own blood was something Killer missed hearing.

Since docking at Sabaody Archipelago the Kid pirates had had to lie low; Kid was prideful but he wasn't foolish, the power he held at present was no match for the combined might of the marine base in grove 60. So killing was kept at a safe minimum.

Until now, at least. Killer smirked, whipping one scythe through the chest cavity of a man whose name he didn't care to remember. With his other scythe he lobbed off the head of another man who was still choking on his blood. The blood splatter didn't touch him as he was moving too quick.

The only thing Killer disliked about this slaughter-fest…

It was over too quickly.

The near silent thud of his boots meeting the floor was the only sound in the galley.

_Cricket…cricket…_

"_Well damn! _Some_one_ was getting a little antsy!" laughed Spine with a wide gleeful grin. Like him everyone in the galley had enjoyed the bloodletting. Snake gave a loud hoot while jumping up from his seat to caper over to a stunned Hayes. When he was by the rapidly blinking man he slapped him on the back with a happy guffaw, "_And we have a winner!_" he shouted dramatically.

Hayes just continued to blink owlishly. "…What…just happened?"

Snake grinned. Spine laughed. And the entire crew chuckled, they always enjoyed this part. It was good ammo to use when bantering, everyone always looked stupid right before they learned they weren't going to die.

Killer walked around the bloody table nimbly dodging random body parts such as livers, arms, a gut sac, and what appeared to be an eyeball still attached to a socket. He came to a stop right in front of Hayes who hadn't moved from his place at said bloody table. Hidden gaze trained on the slight wide eyes of the newbie Killer spoke, his voice ringing with all the authority of a first mate.

"You're a Kid pirate now, stop looking like you've never seen a bloodbath before."

The stunned confusion on Hayes' face held for a moment longer before realization sunk in; dark eyes suddenly glittered smugly as they glanced around at his table mates, or what was _left of them_, anyway.

"Aye."

And just like that their bloodthirsty band had another member and everything returned to normal, well everyone went back to eating actually. That is until the double doors slammed open and Eustass "Captain" Kid stalked in, hungry and feeling grumpy because of it.

All it took was one once over with narrowed red eyes…

"GODDAMN IT KILLER! CLEAN UP YOUR FUCKING MESS!"

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_Inky shadows on a backdrop of obsidian surround her, blacks maws wide and gaping as they circled like wolves. She distantly recognized the murkiness for it faithfully stalked her in her dreams. Liberty knew intrinsically that she was dreaming now._

_The darkness undulated about the boundaries of her mind, the dreamscape, like smoke. Thick, cloying gas that wafted around her - the cat taunting the mouse right before the killing blow. She shuddered at the horrid imagery, gasped and breathed in the essence of the abyss_—

—_black whirlpool empty screaming darkness_—

_Choking, she flailed desperately. Her mouth opened to release a piercing cry but no sound came out. The smoke in her lungs made it impossible to breathe! _

_Air! Air!_

_She is suffocating!_

_NOOO!_

_Then the connection snapped, and like wet paint on a canvas the grisly dark oozed away. There is no light though; her dreams - nightmares - never once gave her that security. Only pitch black shadows. _

_Whatever horror had taken a hold of her had dropped her back to square one. Hungry, hungry darkness. Predatory darkness. And yet, something was forming in the mirk. Liberty stares, panic tinged emotion condensing in her gut, at the change. She cannot make out anything among the distorted chaos shifting around her, only random patterns of mottled unclarity. It is a disturbing sight to watch, Liberty doesn't look away, can't look away; to look away would allow the darkness an opening._

_Finally, she sees…trees? outlined darkly against an equally dark night sky. There are no stars. Just a pale black ranging as far as the eye could see. _

_There is a silhouette near the trees. A man. _

_He is swathed in shadow, clothed in darkness, so that nothing is visible. Liberty still can make out a…strange protrusion on either side of his head. She finds it to be…odd. _

_The man is watching her, she knows that. Liberty can feel his gaze on her and it feels like death. The weight of it is both crippling and terrifying. She screams - there is sound this time, angry fearful sound. But still it is an empty protest, impotent, and it leaves her body weak and exhausted. The deathly stare continues to bore into her._

_Terror. Pitiless, cold waves of it. Rushing over her with a roar, filling her pores, choking off her breath (again!). Wordlessly, she screams a second time, opening her mouth to let all the fear and panic out until the trees groaned with the sound of it. _

Flee while you can! To say here is death! Help him! Help him! Help him! There is still time!

Do you fear death? Do you fear_ his _death?

_The voice cuts through the deathly ambience, silencing her screams with nothing but words whose multifaceted cadence shook her to the core. The raw terror Liberty felt a moment ago fell away to be replaced by an echo. It repeated, repeated, repeated those words, over and over._

_Confusion clawed at the inside of her head like some rabid animal. In any other place she would've been frightened by the dissonant voice but its words rang with an eerie foreboding. _

_His?_

_Liberty slowly, tremulously turned to gaze at the still figure of the man with the stare of death. Was the voice talking about him? Was the man speaking to her? Was it his voice in her head? A small eternity seemed to pass and still she gazed at the man, the hollow dead stare seemed muted somehow; he merely stared back with eyes of ink and shade. Harmless, disquieting, but without the terror. While looking at the shadowed man Liberty noted the odd protrusions a second time and thought they were reminiscent of a…hat._

_A hat?_

_She closed her eyes for a moment, to quell some form of uncontrollable emotion. Or perhaps it was to fight off the horrible epiphany that welled to the forefront of her mind. _

…_Orange…_

_It was orange. The was hat was orange._

_The man was_—

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Skulley J. Liberty awakened abruptly. Sweat slicked her brow and body, dampening her clothes till they clung to her uncomfortably. The grogginess Lib normally woke up to was unusually heavy, she could barely keep her eyes open. Had sleep ever felt this…stale before? The Tri-horn didn't know. Her head was still stuffy from slumber and it was too bothersome to think at the moment.

_Ugh, I hate sweat!_ _Where is a lake when you need one._

A lake. Cool water always felt glorious over her scales and never failed to wake her up! Oh wait, she was still _human_. She sighed at that realization. She was still at Sabaody Archipelago - in_ enemy _territory._ Lovely._ Sometimes she really agreed with Jillian's view on their alternate forms, being human did get tiring and tedious, but she couldn't transform because she was on a bed, therefore not _outside_. And the only bed she ever slept in was the one in Shakky's bar. So she must be in one of the guest bedrooms.

She rose on her elbows, to get out of bed - the blankets were a nice dark red color, but a sudden blinding pain forced her back to the mattress, hands pressed hard to her aching forehead. _W-what the hell! Ow! _Why did her face feel like it had been mauled by a Sea King! _Ow! _Liberty groaned; how had she missed this when she'd first woken up! It hurt! Her face. Her forehead! What had _happened!_

Hissing though her teeth Lib lay motionless hazy mind trying to remember the cause of her pain. But the memory was stubborn, escaping her grasp several times, and when she finally opened her eyes, blurry no longer, she saw a ceiling overhead that was wholly unfamiliar to her. It wasn't cherry wood; Shakky's place was made out of cherry wood. This wood was darker, somehow more…masculine?

_Okay? This is weird. _

Where was she? Was she still at Shakky's? Was this some room her and Jillian had missed in their explorations? _Ugh!_ So many questions! Liberty couldn't keep the grimace from her face, all these speculations were just causing her head to throb more. _Stupid forehead! Like I need __**more**__ pain when waking up! As if it weren't hard already!_

Skulley J. Liberty, the posture child of rough awakenings.

Confused and wary the Tri-horn turned her head to the side, painstakingly, and realized with a sluggish sense of horror that the room was likewise unfamiliar. What's more, it looked_ lived in_. The_ lair _was also unquestionably _male_. That deduction sent shivers up and down her spine. _Oh shit. _Whoever lived here was male and that was a big_ no-no! _And it wasn't Ray-san's room either! He liked tones of cream and beige!

The chamber smelled of oak and metal. _Ewgh! _Metallic scents always burnt the inside of her nostrils if she focused on them too long. In that Lib did not envy Jillian for having sharper senses; no wonder she hated scenting near metal, it must sting like a _bitch!_ The strong metal smell turned out to be…piles of random junk in certain areas of the room along with most of the framing; window panes, box spring, lamp, things she couldn't see. _Oh my Spirits! What is with all this metal!_ At first Liberty _wanted_ to call it disorganized but the heaps were too neat and too strategically placed to be just trash. Which meant the piles of metal were _intentional. _Lib felt a brow inch into her hairline. _Definitely a hoarder. Has to be a hoarder._

Brown-teal eyes swept the room from corner to corner, just because she was still drowsy didn't mean she couldn't take the measure of her environment. The bed she was on was king size with maroon-ish sheets and pillows, its frame and headboard were a crude but creative twist of iron. _Argh, metal!_ The bed itself was against the wall parallel to the…door?

At least, Liberty_ thought _it was a door. There was no visible handle. Humans were weird. _Shakky never told me about this! All her doors have handles. _Maybe, only the males of the species had doors with no handles. Liberty mentally attributed this as a territorial display; in the past centuries she'd seen humans display a number of foreign quirks that was native to a certain gender. This peculiarity could be a new cultural difference; Lib didn't want to think about it being anything else.

So besides the door with…no handle there was another door, thank the Spirits, it was _wood! _And it had a handle! _Maybe it's only the front door? _Liberty rolled her eyes at the thought. _Stupid, that was stupid! Meh. I'm tired and achy and sore. My forehead hurts! And I'm hungry! _The wooden door - _Shut up! Stop ranting! _- was most likely the bathroom and it was situated on the left side of the bed. On the right side of the bed was a nightstand, lamp, and what looked like brass knuckles. Slightly impersonal but Lib was starting to really get the gist that whoever lived here had a serious fetish with metallic objects.

Catty corner to the nightstand was a heavy oak piece with intricate gold handles attached to the drawers. It was a tall dresser standing at about her shoulder height. From her sprawled out position on the bed she couldn't quite see what was on top but it looked like scattered paper. Behind the dresser loomed a line of decent sized windows, square in shape, with black curtains pulled off to the side. Pale sunlight shined through illuminating something dull.

It was a knife. She could see the hilt sticking out over the edge, the wrap was a burnished orange—

_(It was orange. The was hat was orange.)_

_(…Orange…)_

_(…odd protrusions…reminiscent of a…hat.)_

_(The man was_—)

"…Ace." It was a breathy whisper filled with quiet horror and remembrance. The dream._ Spirits_, the dream! It washed over her with all the force of a flash flood, ramming into her mind forcefully, chilling it with memory, and filling her with an intense, unholy sense of panic. Of Spirits, how long had she been sleeping? There was no time to waste! She only had three days!

And here she was_ napping _like some fat cat basking under the sun! Like she could _afford to!_ _I'm a horrible person! Roger must be cursing me right now! _She had to- had to _act! _Had to move! Had to do something _now! _

Her heart is pounding. The sound is deafening in her ears. To Lib it is the sound of desperation and fear, and she is _drowning_ in it. Gasping for air, she curls inward, her legs and arms trembling under the sheer force of the recall. The predatory darkness. The terrifying sensation of suffocation. The man and his stare of death. All of it came tumbling down on her drowsy mind.

_(Flee while you can! To say here is death! Help him! Help him! Help him! There is still time!_

_Do you fear death? Do you fear __**his**__ death?)_

Time stopped. Halted by the memory of eerie discordant voices. For a moment the Tri-horn just lay there, stunned and caught off guard, trying to absorb words that seemed to ingrain themselves into her very soul. She swore she could feel them, the letters of each word chiseled into the walls of her being; Liberty felt the horror at those words of warning, the terror of their meaning, yet it was muffled as if she and it were separated by water.

A saving grace.

She could think now. Though Lib was still groggy the crippling fear the dream had woven over her senses was muted, not gone, oh no, it had carved a deep niche inside her head, but for now she could move without feeling frozen. The shock had worn off. Yawning, Liberty stared at the strange door, a vision of her walking through it flashing across her mind's eye.

_Out. I have to get out of here._

She had to leave this unfamiliar room. Hands, her hands…she brought them up to her face, stared, then placed them on either side of her. Slowly to not bother the bruise on her forehead she rose to a sitting position. When her head didn't start throbbing painfully Liberty relaxed and began crab-crawling towards the end of the bed.

A hand braced to the side so she could throw her legs over the edge when—

_**STOP! DON'T GO NEAR THERE!**_

Instinct intervened. Loudly.

Liberty froze, eyes widening, before recoiling to the middle of the bed. Very much spooked she stayed still for many minutes, brown-teal eyes trained on the edge of the mattress like it was some vicious closet monster. That was when she felt it; the aura pulsating tenuously along with the _iron around her neck. _Cue rant.

_What. The. Fuck! What is this! What the __**hell is this!? **__Do I look like a dog? I have scales! Not fur! What, is there a nice round bowl of food on the ground for me! Oh, let me think! It's probably metal too! I am so going to maim whoever did this! Stuff a tree up their ass! Wrap a poisonous vine around their neck! poison them! Argh! Why is there a bloody fucking collar on me!_

Blessed anger.

It was a good distraction…that is until her sleepy mind connected all the dots. Dots that she would've immediately noticed had she been more of an aware riser.

Kid. She was…in Kid's room. His bedroom. His personal lair. His territory.

_Shit! Fuck! Fire! _

And he had_ done _something. She could feel it now and it reminded her of that time in the Auction House when he'd used_– _Lib cursed, spitting out words in english and surprising enough words of her native tongue as well. Who wouldn't switch to their own language - Liberty knew more curses in Dracian anyway - when they found out they were practically_ tied to a bed _for Spirit's sake.

_Out of all the stupid places he could use his stupid devil fruit it had to be his bed! His bed! Argh!_

Now that she was aware of the magnetic _whatever-the-hell-it-was _she knew not to touch it. Her instincts had warned her not to; she wasn't reckless enough to test it nor did she want to. Spirit's know what it could trigger.

Worse case scenario…the door opening and- _Wait, what?_

The metal behemoth of a door _was _opening! _Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit, shit, shit! _And Kid was probably on the other side, if he saw her awake…

Liberty's eyes widened to saucers, panic exploding through her veins with new intensity, but she couldn't run so she had to play dead…ergo sleep. She had to pretend to be asleep. _Ugh, the things I get myself into! And why did it have to be Kid!_

Like a dropped stone Lib fell to the mattress, closed her eyes, and tried to stave off the - _Not now!_ - urge to hyperventilate. A moment later the sound of the door slamming into the wall met her ears as well as the thud of heavy boots. _Shit, fuck, fire! Shit, fuck, fire! Shitfuckfireshitfuckfireshitfuckfire! I am so so dead! I'm going to die! _

The Tri-horn stayed very, very still, yet every little noise seemed amplified, ricocheting around her ears, in her head, down her spine; the strain of equanimity had never been tested as it was then, and Lib could only lay there and endure. Endure the nerve-racking sensation of imminent discovery, as well as the hair-rising stare that almost…_almost_ had her stiffening. With anyone else Skulley J. Liberty was an expert pretender who could deceive the best, even Jillian once or twice, but Kid…_Kid _wasn't_ like _the best.

His stare wasn't merely wondering or suspicious or dispassionate. It was ridiculously, conspicuously _hot. _It was every adjective in the book describing _why_ staring was considered _bad_ and _rude_ and_ just downright uncomfortable._ His regard was heavy, intrusive, debaucherous, and entirely too private for a stare between enemies.

While Liberty thought Eustass Kid was hot, it didn't mollify the fact that his staring made her feel _naked._ Her ears went red along with her cheeks; did he have to _look_ at her so- so _intently!_ Spirits, the mortification she was feeling, no, _choking_ on, right now was straight from Verdaron! Laying on a bed - a _man's_ bed, _Kid's_ bed - with the proverbial wolf standing over her… It was an experience - _punishment!_ - worthy of Verdaron!

The crushing vulnerability was breathtaking…literally. That intense prickling one gets when being ogled felt like ten thousand needles on her skin; a torture that preyed on Lib's meager composure. The longer Kid stayed stationary, his penetrating eyes boring into her inert form, the more he unknowingly stole her hastily made façade. And because Lib wasn't as…mentally disciplined as Jillian was, it was far, far harder to block out and hold back every instinct, every impulse screaming to _REACT! _To release the shaky, desperate grip she held on her emotions, her very body.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction,_ indeed._

_Please, please, Spirits, go away! Go away, GO AWAY! _her body seemed to weep out despairingly.

Kid didn't go away, not really, but his footsteps, his loud steady heartbeat, breathing, scent, went towards what she remembered to be the bathroom. Her steaming ears caught the passing "Tch" followed by another intense stare; she could feel its weight like some freakish blanket made of flame, it nearly had her shuddering, nearly; his presence was just that overwhelming. Then the creak and slide of a door opening and - _snap!_ - closing met her ears, the intrusive sensation hounding her control dissipating with his exit; if Liberty hadn't been sprawled out she would have collapsed out of sheer momentous relief. _Thank you, thank you, thank you! Spirits, God, deity, thank you!_

Four things happened in quick succession afterward.

One, the hiss of water beyond the door assailed her senses. _Why does that sound familiar? _her mind seemed to ask. A slight tilt of the head later saw Liberty blanching, or rather reddening. _S-shower! He's_…_taking a_…Spirits, he was _bathing_ in her presence! How could he be_ that _comfortable with her, a threat, to let down his guard like that? He couldn't_ trust _her? They didn't know each other! _Okay, okay! Calm down, it- it's probably different for humans! _

Two, came the bodily responses she'd been holding back. Shaking, trembling, screaming into a pillow, and of course hyperventilation. The pillows were fluffy and thick, good for hiding her frightened, shocked, loud freak-out venting. The thought of Kid in the other room put an instant stop to that _loud_ outlet. Though it didn't stop her from flailing wildly with pent-up anxiety.

Three, time itself knocked on her door with an epiphany: _Escape! I gotta escape! Right now!_ _Escape, find Jill, save Ace! _It was a reminder that immediately jump-started her heartbeat and her panic. As if she wasn't already on the precipice of a heart attack. _Ace!_

Four, shortly after realizing that she was under a tight time-limit Lib remembered the collar and Kid's _stupid_ web of magnetic energy tethering her to the bed. _His_ bed!

Again, blessed, _blessed_ anger.

Skulley J. Liberty was_ angry_. Indignant, infuriated, pissed off, enraged…etc etc. _T-that arrogant, perverted __**bastard! **_What kind of asshole ties someone of the opposite sex who they _didn't even know _to their _bed! _Who!? Liberty didn't like Kid, maybe he was awesome eye candy, but she hated his personality. He liked, even adored, violence. _She_ despised violence, especially when it was directed at animals!

Her anger, as much as it was warranted, was short-lived under the current _circumstances_. The rushing hiss of the shower resonated through her like an aftershock, a nice big reminder that her time was running out. That her window of opportunity, of_ escape_, could end at any moment. Her body tensed and Lib sat up slowly, cautiously. With serious eyes, which were still quite wide with chagrin, the Tri-horn glared at the door before slanting over to the window. By the light filtering in Lib could sense intuitively what hour it was; humans liked to call it evening but to her it was the Eleventh Sun Hour, or four o'clock.

The sky looked so blue. Lib frowned and almost whined; oh how she wanted to fly into that unending sea of indigo.

_Move, go, escape! _her mind cried at the heels of her wish.

And yet, she couldn't. Not when her instincts wailed out a loud _NNO!_ every time she attempted to touch the invisible barrier. What could she do? Lib puffed out her cheeks, brown-teal eyes transferring their glare to the bed and it unseen wall. How could she get past it? And how could she remove the collar? _Stupid, stupid collar!_

Liberty suddenly gasped, the sound muted under the weight of possible detection. For several heart-stopping moments her mind had been fiercely decoding her…bed-prison, but in all those seconds she had thought of breaking out, well, she had it all wrong.

It wasn't an outside problem she had to deal with. It was something inside.

It was _the collar!_

Brown-teal eyes tilted down to stare irritably at the piece of metal; _no wonder _her instincts warned her not to touch the outside barrier, it probably worked like a trip-wire. And with her wearing metal, it was like intentionally pushing some person over it if she were to make contact. _So I have to remove the damn collar before I can escape. Blah, Kid you asshole! _

Fingers flew up to scratch and rove over the neckband ten claws frantically but determinedly tapping and scraping for chinks and fissures. Lib huffed out in frustration…and a tinge of worry when she failed to find a clasp or a lock. _How the Verdaron had Kid gotten this on me! _Liberty screamed mentally, claws now trying to slip behind the collar, but they weren't long enough to successfully push the thing off her. _Argh! I need something longer! Sharper!_

If she could push something down far enough and push the neckband outward she could break it. Or use hydrofluoric acid to, anyway… It had worked well enough with the slave collar. So it should work well_– _hold on, where was her pouch!

Liberty blinked slowly down at her hip, the place where her pouch _always was_, which was presently absent. "What the fu-!" she exclaimed angrily, the pitch of her voice wavering dangerously above a whisper. As soon as the outcry was out Lib yelped - quietly this time - and covered her mouth. _Crap, I am so caught!_ But when she turned her wide fearful gaze on the door, heart palpitating furiously, nothing happened. There was no Kid rushing through the door with guns blazing, no loud banging portal as it slammed open, and no interruption in the flow of water to the shower. It was as if she had made no sound at all.

Still Liberty didn't move out of her frozen state, instead she continued to watch the door with paranoia. After what felt like an eternity of anxious waiting Lib went back to the task at hand: freeing herself.

_Easier said than done!_

Because she _obviously _needed something and she didn't have it; the human 'God' must not like her, it(no one had told her if it was female or male!) was _so_ plotting against her. _Ugh!_

This is where Skulley J. Liberty would normally start ranting at the ceiling, screaming at said human God about species discrimination and whatnot, and she would have had she not been desperately pulling at the collar.

"Get. Off! Urgh!" the Tri-horn hissed while gnashing her fangs in an attempt to quell the true sound of her frustration. Even as her fingers tinkered fiercely with the metal band Lib's gaze never went far from the door, and neither did her ears which closely monitored the noise of the shower and the steady heartbeat. Idly, Liberty was eternally grateful for having senses that surpassed a humans, though she wasn't at all familiar with a male humans bathing regimen so she didn't know how long Kid would stay in the bathroom.

It was a fear that had Liberty scrabbling harder and faster at the collar when the five minute mark went by. Her instincts were shooting off an alarm again and it was sending her into an emotional frenzy.

_Panic! Panicpanicpanicpanic! PANIC!_

The collar seemed to laugh at her crazed flailing; Lib couldn't stop the growl that whipped up her throat on reflex, her situation was just so irksome! _Argh!_ Feeling angry and spiteful, not to mention three shades frustrated, Liberty threw herself back on the mattress and kicked her feet like a human toddler throwing a temper tantrum.

Lib froze.

Cue gasp.

Hands that had tugged futilely on the neckband suddenly rushed to her jeans in excitement. Right then, Lib felt really, really stupid…or forgetful…or absent-minded _because she still had her dirks!_

Her dirks remained in there sheathes strapped to her thighs; how she forgot their existence was trivial, all that mattered was that she remembered them _now_. The Tri-horn nearly cried out in happiness when her right hand disappeared down her front pocket and made contact with the smooth bone handle of one of her dirks. It was a miracle!

Sighing happily, Lib drew her weapon - she wasn't used to having an actual weapon outside of her bodily defenses and her bone needles. But it was good she carried them with her.

Dirk in hand Lib turned it towards herself and immediately jumped to work. Time was of the essence. Though the act of actually sliding the blade in-between her skin and the metal was an absolute bitch to do. To make matters worse Lib was in such a paranoid state that her hands _would not stop shaking! _She might be a dragon, thus their scales were like hardened armor but while she was in human guise her skin was a lot thinner than she would like. And putting a knife to your own throat was already nerve-racking without the whole Kid-taking-a-blasted-shower-in-the-next-room-have- to-be-quiet-or-get-caught scenario she was stuck in.

As if prying a skin-tight piece of bendable metal strapped around your neck wasn't hard enough. Liberty felt the urge to snort but shoved it away; that was Jillian's quirk and she wouldn't steal it. Laying on her back Lib tilted her head till her neck was fully stretched out before cautiously angling the dirk up near the hollow of her throat. One slow calming breath along with a wary paranoid glance towards the bathroom door later and Liberty was guiding the blade between flesh and steel, however she was not without pain as she nicked herself once or twice while pushing forward too quickly.

During this rash activity Lib not only had to focus on not killing herself with her own bone, as well as listen for Kid, but she also had to stave off her shrieking instincts; they apparently did not like how reckless her escape plan was. But did she have a choice? There was no other way to negate the magnetic field guarding her.

Did her instinct listen to her reasoning? Nope! Lib would've huffed out in annoyance but that would make holding her breath that much harder. She learned with the first painful nick that trying to exhale and inhale with a sharp knife tight against her throat was not sensible or smart at all.

Thank the Spirits she had an extra pair of lungs for holding in air!

About two minutes later saw Liberty satisfied with the length of blade under the collar, now for the tricky part…

Good thing the dirk was such a small thin blade or else she would have slit her throat, instead she got away with a minor puncture two inches from her chin. Liberty figured the easiest way to break the collar was to make a grip for herself since the damn thing had no lock or clasp, therefore using the dirk to lift up the neckband enough to slid her claws under, then she could rip the thing apart and leave.

The process sounded deceptively easy when she went over it in her head, but executing said process was a whole heap of uncomfortable contorting, and of course she couldn't forget the nice side of pain that accompanied the risky escapade. If she didn't have such a high pain threshold Liberty was certain Kid would have heard her screaming when the tip of her dirk dug into her chin, however all that left her mouth was a quiet yelp and a grimace.

Afterward she felt a sense of quiet dread or perhaps dismay at the sluggish dribble traveling down her chin, her throat, and over the metal collar. The scent of her blood hung heavy in her nostrils because there was no distance to distort it; it was a perfect wake up call, something like a mental slap to bring her hazed mind back to reality. Blinking somewhat owlishly the Tri-horn slanted the bathroom door a glance before focusing on her escape. Carefully sliding the blade away, albeit painfully, Lib quickly sent the claws of her left hand pressing under the metal searching for a grip.

Not a second later the Tri-horn successfully got the tips of her fingers underneath, then back went the dirk which Liberty was never more happy to have back in it's sheathe and away from her jugular. Sighing in relief she added the fingers of her right hand under the recalcitrant metal band, it was a position she didn't find at all comfortable since her arms were held out awkwardly so her claws could face outward. If she didn't hurry her arms would tire.

Slit eyes staring at the oak ceiling Lib braced her feet on the mattress before digging her claws into the metal; a slight grimace stole over Liberty's face at the move, her wrists cracking at the odd bending. The sound of groaning iron soon met her ears coupled with the later noise of iron fracturing in on itself. A vicious tug or two later and her claws easily ripped through the durable metal; it fell to the bed harmlessly. Lib nearly spat at the thing in spite but settled for another urge: childishly sticking her tongue out.

_FREEDOM! Hell yeah! I am free! That's right, I am awesome! Who's got badass claws, who!? Me! That's right! I'm awesome! _Of course Lib's victory rant accompanied her biggest, most giddy triumphant smile. And the feeling of intense elation at her liberation.

What made her even happier…the shower was still running! _Ha! Take that you violent piece of dragon shit! I escaped your stupid bed-prison! Ha! I win!_ It was with much exaggerated smugness that Liberty crawled across the bed, threw her legs over the edge, and stood up. She paused warily for a moment just to be safe - or out of a lingering sense of paranoia - eyes sharply watching the door, ears listening to both water and heartbeat. When several seconds passed without incident Lib marched towards the door with a self-satisfied curl to her lips.

That was when she remembered the door had no handle.

Her conceited grin fell immediately. _Damn. It!_ _Arrgh! _The sudden violent impulse to swing her tail at the stupid obstacle was nigh impossible to stanch. But she resisted the petty compulsion, the noise wouldn't be something she could control, and it might just alert more than the flame-haired jackass currently still taking a shower. Thank the Spirits.

Because now she had to figure out how to open an eight foot tall obstruction. A dour expression met the face of the 'door' or as Liberty dubbed it in her mind then, 'dumbass-metal-thing-number-two.' Not very creative but at the moment Lib was a little too irked to care. It was her personal reasoning that anything belonging to Kid didn't deserve a cool name. Hence, 'dumbass-metal-thing-number-two.'

_Now, how to get you open. Ugh, this is so frustrating!_

Petulantly, Liberty slapped the huge slab of a door with both hands and gave a push. When it didn't do anything - even if she already knew it wouldn't budge - Lib took a step back, pouted, glared, and threw a kick that did…nothing.

At least, nothing but throbbing pain. Yelping, the Tri-horn jumped back hands flying to rub at her sore toes. The next few minutes were spent nursing a bruised foot with a mixture of adamant glares towards the door, and fluently cursing doors in general. When Skulley J. Liberty was in pain as well as frustrated and/or pissed off she grew viciously cantankerous with the object of her temper.

The only complication…she became oblivious to her surroundings.

She became oblivious to the sudden quiet.

…_pid fucking dumbass metal! Why? Why when I get something, something else always has to take it away! Ugh! Door if you were a person I'd be shoving a tree branch so far up your ass it'd be christmas! I don't know how but it would be! Spirits, ow this hurts! And why is it ALWAYS my toes that suffer! If I run I stub my toes, if I walk down a cave my toes find a nice sharp rock! If I decide I want to go sea-bed walking_…

A certain wooden door swing open with a creak followed by a cloud of steam.

One beat. Two beat. Three beat.

"So, you actually think you can escape me_. _Tch," came a displeased rumble with undertones of wrath and irritation.

* * *

A/n: Horrible? I felt like I missed a lot of mistakes! God know they love hiding from me!

Hm, you guys are...TOTALLY FREAKING AWESOME for responding to my post last chapter! I was so happy!

Now let's see if we can keep the ball rolling! XD

Current #: 97

Due #: 116 - See that! Imma holding this _nice tasty_ chapter hostage!

P.s: C'mon, you slackers! ...You want me to beg...don't you... *Sobs* So cruel! Where art thou wallflowers! **Two more!** The chapter can't be that horrible...Or is it... T-T


	13. Your Goal I'll Crush

Hey, minions! I'm still alive, still kicking, and still screaming. Not sane though. Never sane. *Shudders* Eh, who wants to be sane anyway? If we were anime wouldn't exist... FANFICTION wouldn't exist. Dun Dun Dun. Did anyone gasp in horror? No? ...Liars.

Oh and guess what…this story now has OVER 12000 hits. Yeah, just thought I'd share that with everyone. Thank you to you (yes, **YOU**) for reading this story, and reviewing if you reviewed - _YOU'RE AWESOME!_ And alerting, or favoriting!. It's very, very appreciated.

Anyway! WARNING! Guess what starts on the 19th for me? No, really guess. College! _Hell!_ Precious time of my life _stolen_ by education! *Sobs* So, just a heads up to you all updates probably will slow down. But good news that is IF you guys are awesome.

See there's a thing called _reviews_ which make an author SUPER happy and motivated. DO IT! It will be my saving grace when I'm tired and cranky and drowning in homework.

Blah, I'm rambling so I will say one last thing...beware Kid gets a little trigger happy here. If your a prude or a teen who can't read sexual themed fanfic's without blushing do not read this chapter. It has **medium citrus** NOT A LEMON. I am not rushing the romance people. Kid doesn't work like that. -_-

Okay. I'll shut up because you guys probably want me to. *Crawls back to her dark, gloomy hole*

* * *

**Chapter 12: Your Goal I'll Crush**

_"Breathe in, breathe out!_

_Breathe in, breathe out!_

_Let it out, oh, release the panic!_

_Oh, release the panic!_

_Feel it slip away, slip away_…_There's no escaping!_

_Right now_…_You think you're thriving,_

_but you're ignoring. It creeps upon you, without a warning!_

_'Cause you're trapped in the countdown and your_

_days are numbered! Can't you see now, it overtakes you!_

_Get it out, get it out, get it out!_

_Oh, release the panic!"_

**Release the Panic by Red**

It had been an hour. Sixty minutes in all since he'd traversed _– _the warm firmness of his dragon on his shoulder _– _into his domain. Sixty frustrating minutes that Eustass "Captain" Kid had glanced irritably towards his imposing door. Sixty_ fucking _minutes spent wrestling with his base instincts; did they ever _shut up! _For the past hour Kid found himself unable to focus on_ anything_, not on Nautical maps, not on Ekman spiral's, and certainly not on important bits of information like the Sverdrup balance, thermohaline circulation, or Coriolis effect in the New World.

He was distracted.

…_By her…_

And she wasn't even _in_ the room. She was asleep on his bed. In his room. Persistent heat pooled in his loins at that thought and Kid once again pointedly shoved the notion from his mind with a deep-set scowl. But he didn't call his lust persistent for nothing, a quick three minutes later saw Kid attempting to banish another train of thought which stubbornly refused to focus productively.

This time the mental disturbance came armed with seductive epiphanies. Hard red eyes slanted to glare broodingly at _the damn door_, his door, with ireful intensity. But the whispers continued for Kid who sat stiffly on an elaborate piece of carved black oak with velvet cushioning. Though its lavish comfort did nothing to assuage Kid's sudden bout of overwhelming lust. The realization that he could, in theory, take Liberty right then caused his breath to deepen and his pulse to quicken. _It would be so easy too_, he thought malevolently.

She was unconscious, defenseless, and entirely too vulnerable. It made for a very, very enticing treasure and he was sorely tempted to steal it. All he had to do was walk into his room, shred the clothing from her body, pin her down on his mattress, part those creamy thig-

_Shut the fuck up! _His fingers curled to form angry, tortured fists as he struggled to clamp down on his libido. The force of his want was smothering, overpowering, and he was furious to see how close he was to giving in to it. As if she held sway over him… It was utterly incomprehensible in Kid's mind. And yet, the blood in his veins raged with the need to be close to her. He couldn't understand it, wanted more than anything to ignore it, yet that same, maddening lust compelled him to seek her out, to touch her.

_Devour her_.

Kid's heavy gaze bore into his door…and the woman hidden behind it. He was not_ controlled _by his base instincts._ Nothing _controlled him. And it would snow in_ hell _before he gave in to something as small as _sexual desire_. Oh, make no mistake, Skulley J. Liberty would share his bed, but he wanted her to be aware when he took her. Not unconscious nor unwilling.

A dark, contemptuous sneer darkened his face then. He wholly embraced the fact that he was a murderer, bloodthirsty and savage, but that was all he was. Kid didn't believe in rape, it was pathetic, and a waste of time. If you couldn't seduce a woman into your bed willingly than it just proved that you weren't worthy of being man. But if you could it proved that you had the influence and masculinity of a true male, therefore you were worthy of bedding a woman and not _a victim._

What kind of victory would rape bring, anyway? An empty, senseless one. Eustass "Captain" Kid didn't _do_ empty, senseless things. He would never truly be gratified if he didn't have her writhing and moaning beneath him of her _own free will._

Don't get him wrong, he was well aware of his dragon's situation at present. She had no clue what was happening to her, arousal probably frightened her to the point of lashing out, but that wouldn't stop him from _educating_ her on the matter. What was a little violence in the bedroom? It just made things…_spicier_.

Kid smirked before it morphed into another scowl. _God fucking damn it!_

There he went _again._

Releasing a barely audible, shuddering breath that really sounded more like a growl, Kid rose from his seat. He needed a fucking shower. Ice cold, preferably. Because there was no way he was working with a raging hard-on. A tense grimace stole over the Supernova's face, his pants felt Goddamn _tight! _

_I want a damn shower!_

Kid took a moment to calm himself. When the throbbing heat within him was suppressed(somewhat) and his pulse had slowed to a normal pace, he walked, or rather stomped, over to his door which swung open with a muttered "Repel."

A couple of steps over the threshold was as far as he got.

It had only been an hour since he'd left her… and yet he could not look away. His fixated gaze noticed the difference in her position instantly, though his suspicious mind was quelled when no movement met his eyes after five minutes of intent staring. Even then he still could not tear his gaze away. Kid stood there, for how long he didn't know, his red eyes drinking in the sight of her.

Short, silky bioluminescent tresses obscured his view of her face, and his fingers twitched with the need to remove the obstruction. He exhaled slowly, ignoring the urge; his iron-like control was the only thing keeping him from ravaging her at that point. If he stepped closer… Kid gave a stern shake to clear his head. He came for a shower and it was a shower he would take. Not _her_. But his eyes remained riveted upon the sprawled out Wyvern Sister slumbering on his bed. Belatedly, he noticed how she seemed to illuminate the dimness of his room, a product of her self-luminescence.

Kid was never one to be unhinged by beautiful, unmarred things; his taste followed a different palate. A far more darker, sinister palate. _Bloodier. _While he held that belief firmly it did not explain why he found himself motionless in the middle of his own room, gaze seemingly tied to the Gifted. He should've been disgusted or at least indifferent to Liberty's aesthetic appearance, for all its other-worldliness, but he was well and truly ensnared. Skulley J. Liberty had his full attention as anything did when it captivated him. For once in his life, however, Kid accepted his lack of apathy towards the opposite sex._ Towards her_. Though he would never admit it aloud much less even to himself in the privacy of his mind.

Eyes of blood and ruthlessness roamed slowly over feminine curves and dips, paused on pale pink lips, before trailing down to trace over the soft rise and fall of her breasts. Kid watched as they lifted and fell in time with her deep, steady breathing(for an instant he thought he heard a slight hitch but he wrote it off as white noise), and felt creeping desire surge through his veins. Next, his eyes followed the flatness of her stomach and abdomen - no doubt firm with muscle and strength, before stopping again on the wide curve of her hips.

An image of those hips undulating wildly against his had Kid cursing, mentally wrestling the thought before it could cause him anymore…discomfort. Clenching his teeth, he fought to suppress his rapidly mounting desire. Merciless red eyes narrowed, became slits of jagged ruby, "Tch." It slipped from his dark lips like a crack of lightning in the silence of his room, a sound foretelling of his immense displeasure; Eustass "Captain" Kid did not find distractions - no matter how seductive - practicable, especially right before entering the New World. In those seas if you allowed yourself to be distracted you ended up dead. _Stubborn, fucking libido_, he hissed silently, his eyes roving with heavy regard over Liberty's body one last time before he swiftly stalked over to his bathroom, entered, and slammed the door behind him.

_**BANG!**_

He never saw the body of his dragon jump at the loud noise, nor the quiet gasp for air.

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

Being born and raised in South Blue did not prepare a native for the outside world. Or in other words, all the other seas with their cold winds, harsh climates, and even worse weather. Rain was fine, Kid didn't mind rain, though it did put him in a foul mood _if _it was anything under eighty degrees Fahrenheit. In South Blue the only facet they saw of winter was rain,_ warm _rain. It was the only rain Kid tolerated.

But cold rain? _Fuck no_. Sleet? _Double fuck! _Snow? _Where the fuck was the fire!_

So it was safe to say that Eustass "Captain" Kid never took cold showers. Ever. That is if he didn't have a damn good reason not to. It was a rare thing indeed for Kid to turn the shower knob to the right. He did not _like _the cold. Hell, he hated the cold almost as much as he hated the marines, almost. Usually things that he hated didn't survive long in his company.

However, matters like an unsatisfied hard-on surpassed his hatred for the cold. There was _no fucking way _he was sitting in his chair -_ sitting! _- while attempting to study intricate maps about the New World with his cock pushing agonizingly against his fly. No man would submit himself to that torture. _Hell no!_ So he'd gritted his teeth, climbed to his feet, and marched to the shower. Slamming the door didn't seem to satisfy his pricked temper as it usually did, rather it just made him_ more _agitated. Though shucking himself of his restraining pants and boxers - freeing his cock from that damn zipper - had the rabid mix of fury and confusion receding quite a ways.

Even then Kid _still_ glared murderously as he turned the damn knob the _wrong_ way.

No amount of teeth gritting, fist clenching, and curses made Kid's time under the freezing spray any more bearable than usual. It was still_ too fucking cold _for his taste! If the walls had been wood he would've punched a hole through it a long time ago, but that impulse met a dead-end due to the steel; it replaced the wood which Kid had - in the past - ruined with his temper one too many times. So he'd switched it with something more resilient. Though the steel walls proved to halt his violent urges there was still evidence when even that didn't stop him.

His shower walls were dented.

And he almost, _almost_ added another one. The poor walls saving grace…his damnable hard-on was gone. Six horrible minutes filled with frigid water did not make Kid a happy man, not by a long stretch. The only good point of his self-induced torture? He was no longer hard, therefore he wasn't _tempted _by the minx in the other room. _She's a saucy wench even when still unconscious. Heh, bitch_, thought Kid with an appreciative smirk.

He was also a lot more appreciative when his hand turned the knob the _right_ way.

Hot, near scalding, water beat down in torrents over broad powerful shoulders, pale muscular pectorals, and down a sculpted abdomen. Drops of steaming aqua continued downward, following the thick V of Kid's hips, until they cascaded down hard thighs and calves to the waiting drain at the bottom. Gold-less wrists rose with a sort of lazy annoyance to swat at drenched hair which didn't have the tight compress of his goggles to keep gravity at bay. Or the heavy weight of water.

The repetitive motion did nothing to curb the stubborn locks from falling into Kid's face, but he was too far gone in his enjoyment of a hot shower to be irritated by it.

To say that hot water calmed the savage beast was an unholy understatement. If Kid had been a feline he would've been purring. Such was the effect hot water had on the South Blue native. Heat of any kind was familiar and well liked. And at the moment Kid was in _sheer heaven_.

For how long he stood there, steaming water sluicing down his powerful physique, was unknown to him. In reality, however, Kid remained under the hot spray for twenty-five minutes before his duty as a Captain called through his subconscious. Once the shower was off he stepped out, right hand slicking back wet hair with a vengeance. While drying his hair grew irritating since gravity pulled it down(and there was no water to distract him), hence Kid snatching up his goggles and slapping them into place.

Then he heard the yelp. Feminine, pained, and obviously…_not on his bed_. It didn't sound close enough. It sounded like…his dragon was closer…to the door…

His first thought: _How the fuck did she get past the magnetic field without tripping it?_

Dark scowl.

His second thought: _Why the hell was he just standing there?_

In retrospect it was probably out of pure habit that Kid grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his hips. But even as he went through the motions of tying a knot his mind was elsewhere; a room away and centered on a certain Tri-horn who didn't know when to quit! Or submit. Grinding his teeth, Kid felt that familiar spark of irritation ignite in his chest, tightening it with a slow burning rage which seethed to life at the very thought of Skulley J. Liberty escaping him.

Red eyes narrowed into slits - two doors to hell cracked open; Kid was _pissed._

The creak of wood groaned as his fist met with the door, the force behind his punch sending it into the outer wall with a _bang. _The loud noise didn't stop the wild cursing being spewed on the other side of his room. Furious crimson eyes grew murderous at the_ ridiculous _sight of his dragon hopping on one foot with hands clutching the other like some_ weakling. _Did she think to ignore_ him? _Or was she _mocking_ him?

His restraint splintered. White-hot rage; a tempest.

Blood-red eyes glared, and dark lips snarled, "So, you actually think you can _escape me. _Tch."

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

It was quiet. A devastating silence; the calm before the storm.

…She had thought her circumstances couldn't _possibly _worsen any further. Of course, she'd been _wrong. _

For a long, immeasurable moment, Gifted and pirate stared at each other; one angry and one shocked. For a long, immeasurable moment, both let the impalpable language hidden in their gazes speak for them. Surface emotions bled out of existence, time fell away, and all in the world was empty…except for them.

An instant of time.

Kid's gaze: _Stop. Submit. Obey. You are mine._

Liberty's gaze: _Fuck you. Not yours. Let me out!_

Then the moment of connection, or whatever it was, vanished and time resumed its march.

…

Skulley J. Liberty was at a loss. Not just any loss, the biggest one of the millennia, not century. Millennia. Now why was she standing in Eustass "Captain" Kid's room gawking, staring, blanching, choking?

_Why_, you ask?

Towel. Black fluffy_ towel._

Ungh.

And nothing else.

Kid stood, dark red gaze frightening her with its intensity, with only the material of a drying cloth around his waist. _His waist!_ Lib could feel her brain spontaneously combust. If she thought it was embarrassing to be close to a bathing male who wasn't her mate, then actually _seeing_ said male after the ritual claimed the highest order of mortification. _My eyes! My poor innocent eyes!_ First was denial, a fit of shock where Liberty tried writing the sight off as some mad hallucination made up from her over stressed mind.

_Ha ha! Like Eustass "Captain" Kid would be standing right there! Yeah right! And in a towel no less! Ha! I must be tired. __**Really**__ tired. I need a nap. Yes, a nice long nap in the sun! Yup, no Supernova's in drying cloths for me! Nope, nothing of the sort here!_

Horror came second which found Lib pressed up against the 'dumbass-metal-thing-number-two.' Brown-teal eyes widening as her situation started to dawn on her; in a pickle this big it was all too appropriate for Liberty to pale like a ghost while feeling the distinct sensation of her stomach smacking into her ankles. _Oh. My. S-spirits! OhmySpirits! _Stalled breathing kicked into gear with a sudden vengeance when her freaked-out repetitive mind finally stopped repeating itself, though only to repeat something else. Arguably, this mantra was much, much worse.

_("So, you actually think you can escape me. Tch.")_

And that was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Feverish panic, shocked fear, wispy anger, unholy mortification; it mixed together, somersaulting around Liberty's psyche like a loose cannonball. The dangerous maelström of emotion whirled swiftly, the rogue eddies from the rabid sea of feeling shooting out in shivers and shudders that rocked Lib's stiff body. It continued to grow, higher and higher, more wild, more dangerous, and then it happened. The spark to the fuse.

Kid growled, fists clenched at his side, and stepped forward threateningly.

_Snap, crack, bang! _went the Tri-horn's composure.

Liberty's emotions_ exploded_.

"**!**" Hysterical screaming. Hysterical _I-want-out-NOW! _screaming.

Adrenaline and instinct seared her veins like hot magma; without warning she jumped into action, hoping Kid's reaction time - a human's reaction time would give her enough time to force the door open. Blood roaring in her ears Lib whipped around on her heels, brown-teal eyes still impossibly wide at seeing her stalker in an intimate setting, and rammed every single ounce of her strength and weight against the behometh door. **BAM!** The heavy obstacle groaned and bent outward as metal won't to do when hit with a powerful force but the door did not cave under the brutal assault. Lib let out a panicked curse, backed up, and—

—her front slammed into the door. Shock and pain reverberated down Liberty's skull, shaking her spine from the abrupt impact of forehead against steel. Dazed, she could only groan as her hands were grabbed tightly and pinned above her throbbing noggin. The flight or fight instinct beckoned Lib to struggle in lieu of her vulnerable position, and she did, until her frazzled mind registered Kid's proximity. Mix that with his state of dress and you had one very stunned, hyperventilating Tri-horn.

_Oh Spirits! Oh Spirits! OH FUCKING SPIRIT'S! His towel, his body, he's- he's- he's- eeck!_

That familiar, deliciously spicy scent rushed over her like high tide, filling her nostrils, coating her insides with liquid heat, and drowned her with yet more shock. The surprise didn't last long; an avalanche of fiery heat tumbled down on her, flooding her bloodstream with ardent insanity. Now she was groaning for an entirely different reason. But even her newly roused arousal was no match for Lib's crippling sense of mortification; her mind was still coherent enough to know what was happening was _wrong_ and that _she was in trouble. _

However, as old as she was Liberty had never fought against a foe as dastardly as arousal, it crawled along her spine, flipped her stomach, and filled her head with images and alien notions that inflamed her against her will. Oh, but it didn't stop there. It pricked at the Tri-horn's skin, flushing it red with sensitivity so she was given no choice but to _feel_. And oh, did she feel. Eustass "Captain" Kid stood flush against her body, the heated dew of a hot shower dribbling off his hard physique, and she could…feel…_everything._ Unbidden, images and sounds from the alley encounter came to plague her;jaw unhinged, eyes pinched shut, Lib released a keen high-pitched noise of distress that would've sounded like a whine had it not came out as a choked whimper.

Cornered. She was completely, utterly, irrevocably _cornered_. An intense dose of fear meshed with the embarrassment, it iced over her boiling blood, canceled the measly shot of adrenaline, and stole what was left of her sense. If she'd been frozen stiff at the sight of him, now she was petrified flesh. Petrified, _flaming_ flesh.

In that instance Liberty was the epitome of vulnerability. Her security in that moment was wholly obliterated, far more than it had been when she was trapped by Kid in the alley. This- this was so much worse. She was lost among the waves of frigid incertitude, floundering helplessly in a situation for which she had no foreknowledge. The faculties that had braved the first shock of Kid's appearance finally were killed off in the wake of Liberty's overwhelmed mentality.

…

Kid bared his teeth, a rapacious, sinister curl of the lips; looks like bodily force worked, Skulley J. Liberty was distracted. And by the cry whispering into his ears it was obvious that Lib was _aware_ of him. Aware, aroused, and so very inexperienced. It was a heady to see it, to _see her _react. She could hide _nothing _from him. Her arousal was his. But to have his dragon in his room pressed up against him so intimately, well, it was entirely too tempting for him to _not_ mess with her. A slow, devilish smile curved the grinning lips even more. Whether it was malevolent or just plain maniacal was lost in the deepening shadows of dusk.

Idly, the Supernova watched the shudders racking Liberty's frame with risqué satisfaction, he could feel them as if it were his own body shivering. Was it from fear or anticipation? Was it both? Or was it _arousal? _Kid smirked. How very alike their three close encounters were; the alley, the bookstore, and now…his bedroom. Thrice now he'd held her trembling form, felt her shiver at his touch, heard her release sounds that had his groin tightening in agony, and yet, there was still so much he could do. So much he _wanted_ to do.

Memory resurfaced engraving images and noises into his brain, heating his blood till it was a molten sludge in his veins, and painting an idea that fed off his desire to reenact a scene that ate at him daily. With a predatory spread of the lips Kid leaned in, applying his weight gradually so as not to crush his dragon, but he wanted her to know that she wasn't leaving him any time soon. When his advance wrestled only a frightened yip from Liberty that was neither aroused or incensed Kid knew he had to step up his game.

Which, of course, was easy to understand in the current circumstance; his dragon was a virgin whose body was unused to the touch of a man, so when she _was_ touched the first thing her mind turned to was rejection and fear. Which was what he was seeing now, a pale, shaking female; he would change that. Kid was nothing if not confident in his pride as a man, it wouldn't be long now till he had her willingly on her back for him.

First step of his idea… Wake the bitch from her stupor. Second step; arouse and unsettle her. Third step; piss her off.

…

Skulley J. Liberty was holed up deep inside her mind, a spiritual getaway slash panic room when her body couldn't make an escape. It was a risky evasive tactic that ultimately disconnected her from her physical self. Not only was this a dangerous endeavor to undertake, but it really wasn't a sound strategy for solving a problem. It was a move borne of desperation and fear. Lib was a bona fide runner through and through, hence her running from Kid because _oh my fucking spirits he's pressing me up against his damn door with only a stupid DRYING CLOTH for cover! _

Cue horrified rant of massive proportions.

_You know what? I don't think I've ever been more, more…eh_…_SCANDALIZED in my LIFE! What is up with this human! Ray-san was never this insane, or violent! Or PERVERTED! Or is it just…Gah! I don't care! I don't care at all! I don't care even to say his stupid, stupid name! But he's wearing a drying cloth! A thin, fluffy, wet drying cloth held together…with a knot. A knot! What if it came undone! Oh Spirits! I'm not even a Wingen yet! I don't want to see a male that isn't my mate BATHING! Oooh! How dare the damn troll-fucker step out like he's the Spirits gift to females! Like verdaron he is!_

_Ha! More of an asshole than a gift! Or a dick. Or a moron! Or a stupid head! Or…every curse that has ever come out of the gates of Verdaron_—_Eckeee!_

_W-hat is that! What's happening! Oh Shit! What's __**he doing! **__Oh Spirits! Why…why is it suddenly so hot?_

Outside world.

It was with a grin of predatory wickedness that Kid drew back one of the hands pinning Liberty's to the door, only for that free appendage to slither around wide hips like a steel trap. Long, masculine fingers dug deep into the dip of Lib's waist, the pale skin of an arm acting as an inescapable band of flesh and blood. By a mere application of strength, the bare minimum of his physical prowess, Kid expertly fit his dragons hips against his own. The press of warm flesh, though clothed and hidden, had Kid hissing at the contact. His towel might be soft, fluffy wool, but as stiff as he was at the moment, the only thing soft enough for his cock were the warm wet walls of the female he had pinned.

Oh, and she was wet, he could smell the musky aroma of her arousal in the air around him. Tentative and latent it was but Kid was no boy in sexual matters, if a woman was aroused it would not escape his attention. Another thing that failed to escape his attention was Skulley J. Liberty herself. She was _back_. The spine-tingling shiver that rocked her body was enough of an indicator for him. As was the nice little gasp and whimper combination that met his ears the second his hips connected with hers.

Satisfied that his dragon was back from wherever she'd gone - a couple more minutes and he would've done something_ drastic _in his impatience. Kid didn't like to wait. But now, now he could do as he pleased… Baring his teeth in a smirk of sinful delight Kid leaned down, planting his head on one shoulder, a curl of arrogance shooting through him when the unexpected contact shocked a jump, a shudder, and a sound that had rich red eyes darkening with a need for more.

Dark lips blew hot moist air over the delicate shell of Lib's ear, and spoke with a voice roughened by desire…and the restraint to keep it chained. "You haven't answered my question…," Kid dug blunt nails into the soft skin of Liberty's wrists abruptly, a warning to quit her not so subtle struggling, "but you know what I think? _I _think you _want_ me to punish you."

Kid punctuated his words by grinding his towel clad erection into his dragon's firm rump. Liberty shrieked, jolted violently to the side, but was kept in place by another more violent tug from Kid's hands. Said Supernova glared down at his defiant crew member who was shaking her head and mumbling crap that Kid didn't care to listen to.

Her mind, her sanity, her sense, it all adrift in an ocean of fire; the heated steam of her thrumming blood cast an impenetrable mist over her faculties, and she was hard-pressed to understand even one word spoken from that gruff voice growling in her ear. What she did know was that voice wasn't helping her bothered state, rather it stoked the fires in her raging blood higher, the pool in her navel an abyss of rabid conflagration.

Uncomfortably hot, drunk off a dominant male's scent, and incredibly discombobulated from her sudden escape into her psyche put Skulley J. Liberty at a great disadvantage. While her mind hid away from reality the flesh that was left behind was given free reign, arousal ran wild, moans and mews rent the air, before finally plunging the runner back into the flaming sea that was her body. The abrupt shock of sensation and contact was staggering; Liberty quickly found herself flailing in the wake of her stampeding desire… along with an insufferable mortification at Kid's horrid proximity.

Brown-teal eyes—hazy and dark from the emotions trundling heavily through her—widened when Lib_ really _registered her position. _**Shit, fuck, fire!**_All at once the drugged-like effect of arousal was forcibly beaten back by sheer embarrassment and a familiar _wrongness_, then the real struggling started. Flushed cheeks filled with even more blood as realization and horror_ exploded_, thus fueling the Tri-horn's growing sense of aggrievement.

Kid was… He _dared! _He- he was…_molesting _her! _Molestingmolestingmolestingmolesting!_

_No. No. Nonononononono! _"_**NO!**_"

"What did you say?" Quiet, rasping, menace; defiance was something he **did not **tolerate. Like Liberty's sudden return of willpower, a sense that told her body to _shut up and get the fuck out of there_; Kid saw a return of his temper. An ugly, vicious fury that ate at the room with thick cloying tension. Feeling it had the hair rising on Lib's neck half a second before she screamed shrilly and promptly death rolled, wrists, torso, and hips jerking every which way in a desperate bid for freedom, but pinned as she was it was a hard and _humiliating _escape attempt that only thickened the tension…

And Kid's wrath.

The pale hand slung low around his dragon's hips fisted, uncoiled from its position, rose with twitching fingers, grabbed the back of Liberty's head and slammed it forcefully into the door. Kid bared his teeth in a snarl of black rage, red eyes mere slits of furious crimson, and roared, _"What did you say! ANSWER ME!"_

Liberty stubbornly stayed silent, slit eyes wide and frightened, yet the spark of anger flickered from deep inside the dual colors.

There was heavy choking silence for several loud heart beats.

Kid's patience snapped.

With an angry snarl he ripped the Tri-horn away from the door by her hair before ramming her into the steel a third time; Lib let out a gurgled shout at the brutality, but Kid only exerted more force, and it was all Liberty could do to gasp through the merciless pressure. Upon impact searing pain licked across her jaw and down her neck like liquid magma; the hit was powerful enough to jar her ribs painfully, jounce her hips, numb her legs, and stub her toes. An agonizing white burst behind her eyes, the added pain stabbing her sensitive retinas which ripped another anguished cry from lips pulled into a grimace. Kid held her there for a moment his rage feeding off Liberty's torment, naked chest heaving with ragged breaths, then with a cry of rage he hurled her by the hair across the room and onto his bed.

It was a small but golden window that appeared when she landed roughly on Kid's mattress; golden because he wasn't holding or pinning her down, she was free to make an escape, and Liberty _would've_ flown the violent pirates coop if she hadn't suffered a possible concussion three times over. _I…te…im! …he…k…I eed to…et out…astard!_

Skulley J. Liberty had never been so dazed and dizzy in her long life. The crushing pain attacking her bones hurt her more than she thought was possible for a Gifted; wasn't she supposed to be stronger than this, even if she was clothed in the flesh of a human. Couldn't she take a few hits to the head and be fine? Confusion whirled with the aches and pains, yet instinct cried from the depths of her being.

_Predator! Danger! Dominant male! Run!_

Though as stunned as she was the warning came a little too late. The heavenly but deadly scent wafted over her nose before she could stop it - Liberty was still reeling from the effects of Kid's assault to match the scent with danger, thus it drifting up her nostrils and igniting a spark of heat there. She groaned in protest, a miniscule part of her recognizing the smell for what it was…and who it belonged to.

Like a lifeline she lunged for that smidgen of recognition and tore at it desperately till it spread. Slowly, haltingly her mind cleared itself from the fog of affliction but like the warning it was too late. In the time it took for Lib to reclaim her bearings Kid had already stalked across the room, temper seething around him like a black cloud of stormy rage. He was in full rampage mood.

Aching all over Liberty rose up on her elbows, gasping as her world tipped, and hissed when she felt the mattress dip near her. The hiss turned to an angry warning growl that flew over Kid's head._ Let the bitch growl and snarl, it won't make a difference after I'm done with her_, Kid snarled mentally, bloody gaze piercing and dark as it bore into the sprawled out form of his dragon.

…Who _still thought _she could escape him.

A new wave of irritated rage flooded his veins. _Tch!_ Growling he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her toward him. Kid ignored the weak struggle she put up during this, only giving her a violent shake that rattled her teeth when her insistent wiggling really annoyed him. Being a captain, and a damn good one at that, Kid wasn't one to tolerate or even stomach defiance of _any _kind. The men on his crew were loyal and they _listened_ when he had something to say, yet the _bitch_ who was currently cursing him thought she could do as she pleased.

Dark lips scowled darkly. Why couldn't she understand that she was a_ fucking _Kid pirate now? Was it so terrible? Or…or was there something else holding her back? Was that it? _That bitch!_ his mind hissed furiously at the thought._ That fucking stubborn wench!_ In his anger Kid wasn't merciful, he was_ never _merciful; his grip tightened, became cruel and painful, his fingers digging harsh bruises into his dragons flesh. Her cries were a balm that did not calm his rage, oh no, it was fuel to the fire. If she settled, if she submitted, Kid would've backed off after teaching her lesson or two, but she continued her insubordination.

Which he could not allow.

_She would learn to obey him!_

His red eyes blazed, voice cracking like a whip as it fell from snarled lips, "You're apart of this fucking crew, Skulley J. Liberty,"— Said Gifted froze at the shocking use of her name, slit eyes wide as they met hellish red ones—", and I'm your Goddamn _captain! _If you think you're walking away from this than you _don't know me at all_," he growled against her ear. Liberty tried pulling back to snap at him with a few choice words of her own but the words died on her tongue when Kid suddenly caught her slender throat in one ruthless hand.

He squeezed tightly and for a heart-stopping moment Liberty couldn't breathe. Panic stiffened her form but indignation cleaved the anxiety in two when Kid threw a powerful leg over her hips and straddled her in a towel. Only a towel.

She nearly choked on resentment. _How dare he! How dare he! How dare he! Fuck him!_

Before she could spit out how she viewed his _You're-on-my-crew-blah-blah-bullshit _speech he continued, voice deepening ominously, "The other Wyvern Sister… You protected her, even took her place when the Pacifista attacked. It's easy to see the _attachment._"

For what seemed like a long time, everything was frozen still. Liberty was frozen still. Staring. Just staring. Where was he going with this? She swallowed back something rancid. Why was he bringing Jillian into this?_ She had nothing to do with this! _

Cruel amusement in crimson eyes. Low, haunting whisper. "What if I ripped it away…This attachment of yours. What if I made her scream…? Would you like that?"

Her heartbeat grew erratic, the pounding force of it blaring in her ears, and her stomach churned with sickly fear and anxiety. Swallowing back bile Liberty choked out a weak reply, "…W-why? _Why _are you doing this…?"

"_Why?_"Sneering,Kid pulled back enough so Liberty could see his bloodcurdling red eyes, a look of calculating appraisal and greed gleaming from the bloody depths, accompanied by a dark smirk. "Your power, your violence, your mouth, your teal hair; even the direction of your gaze," Kid growled softly, possessively. "I want it for myself. I want it on_ my _crew and no one else's."

The hand curled around her throat unwound only to bury itself in the hair at Liberty's nape. The Tri-horn didn't seem to notice.

Speechless, she stared at him with mouth agape and eyes wide. What did a Gifted even say to something like that!? No, definitely, but Lib didn't want to be slammed up against his damn door again, she knew if she chanced getting up too fast she'd either blow chunks, faint, or nosedive. All three were bad end results. She really couldn't move with Kid sitting on her and in a towel no less! _In a towel!_

That thought had renewed horror bleaching her features, though it didn't make a difference because she was still pale from the sick, twisted threats Kid had hissed into her ears like some blotched lovers' caress. She shuddered in revulsion. _Sick, sick bastard!_

Kid threatened Jillian; her life! Not only that but he'd taken that one step that was_ unforgivable_. He'd threatened their bond. She would not forgive him. _I have to escape!_ For she could never willing join anyone who spun tales of killing her one lifeline. Her shield! Her _best friend!_

_Take your time_, she told herself a second later. _You have as many lifetimes as you need to work this out. __**He**__ doesn't. __**He's **__human. __**He's**__ weaker. _With supreme effort Liberty shut her eyes, took a deep breath(through her mouth), and forced the impulse to scream and struggle and whine like a mad dragon away. She almost couldn't do it. Skulley J. Liberty was a very impulsive Tri-horn, so curbing the urge took colossal assiduity. But she managed it.

There was a moment's silence, then Liberty opened her eyes the brown-teal locking with sharp red immediately. Kid had watched her the entire time. A curl of unease tightened Lib's stomach. Something just seemed wrong when the violent man was _quiet. _

"So…" There was calculation in his eyes, it was a cold, merciless thing that endangered Liberty's fragile resolve; she could not slap on a mask to hide her emotions like Jillian could. Her control wasn't that strong. "Are you finally seeing it my way? Tch."

Liberty kept her gaze on Kid's her mind searching for an image…An image of Jillian with her mask on. When she got it she focused on what it looked like, the apathy, the blank stare, and applied it to her face. Heart pounding in her ears she worded it simply, with a cold expression that wasn't nearly as good as Jillian's would've been but it served its purpose in getting the idea across.

Surprisingly, her voice mirrored her borrowed mask, "No."

Kid's expectant stare darkened instantly, the grip he had on Lib's hair fisting and twisting cruelly. "_What!?_" His voice was a thundering growl, lashing over her sensitive ears till she cried out at the volume. The room echoed with his bellow.

The atmosphere thickened dangerously. Her arms trembled along with her heart, but she stubbornly stayed cold, stayed like Jillian. _Be like Jillian, be like Jillian, be like Jillian._

Kid leaned down over his unruly dragon, fury pulsing anew at her defiance! He'd have to break her then. If she wouldn't back down and admit she belonged with him…

He would break her.

_Every woman had a breaking point._ He already knew_ one_. Sonneillon B. Jillian. Kid scoffed. The other Wyvern Sister had been too foolhardy for Kid's taste. Getting shot on purpose? Pathetic. Trafalgar Law could have her. But he couldn't comprehend why his dragon would be with that emotionless, reckless female. A waste of time is what it was. His dragon had better things to do than to tromp around with Sonneillon B. _fucking _Jillian.

Furious eyes narrowed, lips curling with barely contained violence, "So you think you can resist me do you? Reject me like some weakling pirate do you? But I'm no weakling," Kid grabbed one of Liberty's arms in both hands, "I'm _YOUR FUCKING CAPTAIN!_" And snapped it with a sickening crunch.

Radius and Ulna splintered under the pressure.

Liberty screamed.

The mask slipped, fell, crumbled; her vision burst, shattered in a storm of white pixels.

Then she screamed _louder!_

Kid sat back languidly feeling somewhat satisfied that Skulley J. Liberty would not and could not challenge him at present. Savage crimson eyes watched as Lib whimpered and cried while cradling her broken arm as a mother would a babe. Because he was straddling her hips Kid could feel every shudder and tremble that shook his dragons body; it_ pleased _him.

"See what happens when you disobey your captain. You get punished an_–_"

"I'm _NOT_ apart of your _fucking_ crew, asshole! And I never will be! _NEVER!_ I…_I_ c-can't!" Liberty caterwauled through a sob, voice thick with pain and desperate fury. Kid scowled at being interrupted - _she was still defying him! _- but he wasn't stupid; his dragon was lashing out at him because she was cornered, in pain, and frightened.

But her defiance, Kid was getting tired of that word, was an issue that needed dealing with, he simply could not allow a crew member who didn't listen to the captain to walk away without a lesson in obedience. She needed to learn her place. And she needed to _learn it __**now**__._

_Can't? What the fuck does she mean by can't? _hissed his mind angrily. His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Without warning he snatched Liberty's good wrist and pinned it above her head. She yelped, watery brown-teal eyes widening fearfully at the thought of him breaking her other arm, and thus her only remaining wing. Whimpering, Lib pulled her useless limb closer to her chest as if to protect it from him. Kid snorted derisively at the act unknowing that it was the dragonic instinct to pull injured wings towards the torso so they could heal faster.

The Supernova leaned forward again intent on getting answers. "Look at me." He demanded harshly, his hand squeezing her wrist in a silent warning. Liberty heard it loud and clear; a second later she was reluctantly meeting his gaze, though she wanted nothing more than to look away.

"Why can't you? What the hell is stopping you from joining me? _Answer me!_" Kid hissed furiously. When the Tri-horn didn't speak right away he grew impatient, dangerously impatient, and tightened his hand.

The cry of anguish was instantaneous.

It only shortened his patience more.

"_Answer me now, bitch!_" He snarled, his free hand balling into a white knuckled fist that slammed an inch to two away from Liberty's ear. She couldn't stop from flinching at such violence. Or any violence for that matter.

Cringing into the mattress, all bravado seemingly spent, Liberty murmured weakly, "The dragon."

Kid scowled, crimson gaze brimming with incomprehension. "The other dragon bitch?"

_Don't call Jillian that!_ a quiet, subdued voice growled inside her mind. She ignored it - the deep, deep nugget of violent emotion that reacted to everything but never made it to action - in favor of answering so her other arm(her good wing)wasn't broken like her left.

"…N-no, the black dragon. T-the prince!"

A pause.

Kid stared.

And stared.

Red eyes widened.

_(__**Execution! The Son of the Pirate King. Portgas D. Ace Unveiled at last as Gol D. Ace!**__)_

He remembered reading it in the newspaper earlier that morning. So she thought saving _the prince _- Kid sneered at the title - was more important than being a Kid pirate?_ He _was the future King of the Pirates! And yet, here she was trying to escape him…all for _the prince_. His lips curled in a dark, vicious snarl.

_The fuck she was!_ Skulley J. Liberty was his! And she wasn't going…_anywhere_ nor was she saving _anyone!_

Pale, cruel fingers gripped the back of Liberty's head angling it so she couldn't look away. Kid brought her closer to him till they were nose to nose, bloody slits glaring into wide brown-teal, and hissed, "You're not going anywhere, Skulley J. Liberty. You're not saving anyone either. Portgas D. Ace can _die_ for all I care. If he's as strong as the stories say he won't_ need _you to rescue him._ Don't test me_, bitch. You're mine now, _understand! _So you can just forget about whatever fucking plan you had involving _Gol D. Ace_. Tch, should I make you watch _him_ die along with the other bitch? It would definitely teach you something about _obeying the captain's orders_."

…Monster…

Kid was a monster.

_You cruel bastard!_

_YOU CRUEL BASTARD!_

The thought was fury and agony and despair and humiliation all bound up together, emotions too hot and terrible for one living soul to contain, least of all Skulley J. Liberty. This ball of wild, chaotic feeling spiraled through her being uncontrollably only to explode through her eyes in bright neon teal shades that completely overtook the brown. Great waves of rage finally broke through to the surface, the staggering weight of held-off urges and wants roaring to life now that nothing chained them to the depths of her soul.

The purest form of energy barreled through her center buffeting her Mind Flow and strengthening her synergy. It raced through her system healing aches and pain, renewing what was broken. Bruised legs straightened, sore muscles regained their accustomed vitality, and Skulley J. Liberty the cowed was no more. Skulley J. Liberty the pissed off was in full control now and she did not like humans threatening _her bonds._

Kid noticed the change immediately, and crimson eyes narrowed with remembrance. _Those eyes._ He remembered those eyes. They were ancient, old; possessing a wisdom that transcended his lifetime and several others for that matter. They stared up at him now like icy razor blades, dark and aggressive. Warning. Kid scowled at the silent threat. She dared to threaten him? In his own room? Tch.

With an irritated sneer at her audacity Kid tightened the grip he had on Liberty's good wrist, yet she still stared at him with those seditious eyes. Quickly growing agitated the Supernova scoffed, growling, "Don't think I'll let you hit me again, bitch. I'll admit the needle surprised me…," He grasped Lib's jaw in his free hand, dark lips breathing over her own daringly as he whispered with spite, "but that was a one time occurrence. You won't ever do it again."

Even as a maelström of furious emotion whirlpooled inside her Liberty's voice came out quiet, yet the sound of it did not fail to catch Kid's undivided attention. "I know you kind," she told him simply, but her tone rang with a thousand curses. Kid said nothing, he only watched those eyes which continued to stare him down. Warning. Always with that silent warning. "When you were young you beat down anyone who challenged you, and probably bullied any female that you took a liking to. Your peers feared you and your parents feared you but you liked that too. And now that you're older, now that you have power you expect the whole world to do the same. But I'm not apart of the whole world; I'm not like_ them. _I a—"

Before she could continue with her quietly seething monologue Kid reached up - red eyes stoic and flat - with one pale hand, and muttered, "Repel." Half a second later Kid was holding his dagger; the silvery edge of it glinted ominously.

Meeting those impudent teal eyes he suddenly snarled and swung his hand.

Skin bowed, split, burned. Blood welled, wept, and pooled. Kid didn't care for the puncture in his mattress, there were many. What he did care for was Liberty's reaction. There was one this time. Oh, was there a reaction. Though, it differed from the shrill yelps and screams from minutes ago.

Liberty felt her eyes widen at the abrupt onslaught of flesh searing agony. It traveled up her arm igniting her muscles with febrile ire, traced her veins with white-hot flames that licked their way up to her shoulder, and around her throat - clenching it till she choked on her own spit. The panic of not being able to breathe because it was so painful had Lib releasing an instinctive guttural wail that echoed and echoed and echoed.

With blurry eyes that still shone teal Lib canted her head to see the limb pinned above, and whined. Kid had impaled her hand with his dagger! _T-that- that asshole! That son of a troll-fucker! That stupid…head! …That…freaking…codpiece…! That…Shit, no! No!_

Pain was a conflagration inside of her and it was dousing her mentality with a sluggish fog. A very agonizing, sluggish fog. If she fell to it, gave into the burning pain searing her bleeding palm, than Kid would win because she'd most likely faint. Then, she really would be caught probably.

Wait, her arm! It wasn't broken anymore!

_Use…it…_

_USE IT!_ her instincts shrieked.

Liberty didn't think, didn't breathe, didn't hesitate as she called a name she would rather curse, "Hey, Kid!" And as soon as he focused on her Lib spat in his face, particularly at his stupid red eyes. _"FUCKING BITCH!" _thundered around the bedroom as Eustass "Captain" Kid reeled back with a snarl. Rubbing spit from his eyes Kid failed to see the opening Liberty was taking full advantage of.

Tongue in cheek Liberty shot her 'broken' arm up to grab the dagger pinning her poor left hand to Kid's bed. Hissing in pain but still determined to free herself the Tri-horn pulled the damnable thing out with a wet sickly_ thunck_, turbulent teal eyes flaring with that familiar ball of chaotic emotion as she sent the blade careening straight for… Kid's face.

If Skulley J. Liberty was ever given something to swing…

She swung it. And this time.

She.

Meant.

_Blood._

Happy-go-lucky, kind, and compassionate were words used frequently to describe one Skulley J. Liberty…but if you ever threatened her bonds… the retaliation would be swift and with unadulterated outrage. Like right now.

Liberty was_ wholly _outraged. _He threatened Jill and Ace! He was gonna __**die! **_

But Eustass "Captain" Kid wasn't a Supernova for nothing. His instincts were well-honed and in tune with his surroundings even when he was not. While he was distracted Kid noted the mute hostility around him. In mere seconds the atmosphere had darkened with intent, deadly intent. And it came from _her. _He was given a millisecond to feel excitement over such a feeling - his dragon was fun when she was mad - before his reflexes kicked in.

A split second—

If Kid hadn't thrown his head back he would've been skewered by _his own dagger! _His mind railed against the fact - _that little bitch just tried to kill him! And with his own fucking dagger! _She'd spat in his face to distract him so she could loosen the blade and swipe at him with it.

A split second and she would've happily taken his head off. _That bitch!_ What's worse… his goggles had taken the brunt of the downward strike. He'd reared his head back fast enough but the very tip of his dagger had scored a line down one of the square frames. The quicksilver pressure against his forehead had alluded him to the fact that he hadn't moved quite fast enough to get away completely unscathed. _Those were his favorite goggles!_

—and then, reality sped up.

Snarling, Kid blocked the stab aimed for his abdomen with a quick, brutal chop of his hand; the dagger flew off somewhere out of sight. A hissing growl-yip met his ears but his rising temper was already mixing with Liberty's, already blistering in its intensity; two hot coals thrown together, it was only a matter of time before they generated a spark. Wrath burgeoned, fury roared, and the room became pregnant with tension as two very angry adversaries glared at each other.

A long, unorthodox pause.

Then Lib made the mistake of being predictable; she attempted a repeat performance. And the next instant, before she could launch her saliva, she was suddenly grabbed by two hands, and pinned so brutally against the mattress that it stole her breath for a second.

Her lungs shriveled when the hand not pinning her wrists down curled tightly around her jaw and forced her head back. Having her limbs held down one way and her head another made for a very uncomfortably awkward position. The unnatural pose forced her spine to contort sideways to compensate the strain placed on her shoulder joints, though this did not help quell the pressure being exerted on her jaw. Because of the pressure Kid was applying Liberty was forced to tilt her head back till her neck creaked in protest; there was no opening her mouth in such a painful position.

Just what Kid wanted.

In the time it took him to wrestle Liberty into submission Kid had entertained the idea of breaking her jaw, he would have as he was angry enough, but something caught and drew his attention; Skulley J. Liberty had grabbed his dagger with her broken arm.

_The fuck?_

Confusion swelled inside him and he glowered down at his dragon with irritated crimson eyes. Was this what Dark King Silvers' Rayleigh was talking about? Was this the same thing that had happened during the Pacifista fight? The aforementioned healing prowess of the Wyvern Sisters. Now that he was actually studying the arm both the Ulna and the Radius looked to be intact with no signs of oncoming swelling or misshapen bone placement. And only a short six minutes had past. A feeling that might have resembled reverential respect(or maybe it was possessive appreciation)flickered through blood-red eyes.

Curiosity sufficiently satisfied Kid turned back to the issue of Liberty's obstinacy.

The fingers clamped around her jaw tightened bruisingly. His dragon groaned as her jowls gave an audible creak that sounded more than a little painful. _Good. Maybe, next time she'll think twice before spitting at me. Fucking saucy wench! _His thundering pulse matched the tempo of his temper, fast, violent, and all-consuming. It worsened every time he looked at her, and he didn't look away often, rather he didn't look away at all.

Liberty could feel the heavy, oppressive weight of Kid's gaze on her like some physical presence on her skin; the force of it prickled her flesh with scores of insecurity that left her feeling inconsolably vulnerable. His presence was _overwhelming_. She could scarcely draw breath, though whether that was because of Kid himself or her painful position was to be seen.

Groaning, Lib turned her face slightly, meaning to glare at him, to let him _see _how thoroughly pissed she was – when she froze at the brush of warm lips across her right cheekbone, a mocking rendition of a lovers' caress. _Shit, fuck, fire! _The bastard was close enough for the tip of his damn nose to graze against the bridge of hers. She found his proximity very, very disconcerting, especially when she remembered he was only clothed in a towel…

Liberty paled, whimpering in her throat - there was no opening her jaws for Kid's hand was a tight compress. A tight, _painful _compress. Nevertheless, Lib could feel_ him_, all of him, pressing against her and time seemed to suspend for an instant, in which all Liberty could hear was the rabid galloping of her own heartbeat. A slow creeping panic crawled through her veins but it was overtaken by a tide of humiliation that fed off the nugget of flame banked within the depths of her navel.

The source of her shame punctuated itself with every breath she took, every half-hearted shift for a more comfortable position, and every involuntary shudder that racked her body. Every move she made was a horrifying reminder that Kid was indecent; with every bodily shift she could feel his…his _manhood_ - the Tri-horn balked at actually having to_ think _the word - pressing insistently into her belly. In this there was no end to how humiliated she felt, how utterly hopeless she was; emotionally and mentally.

For several long, drawn out minutes Kid hovered over her, eerily stoic red eyes skimming over her features lazily. It was when those piercing hellish eyes met her own that Liberty truly felt small. Small, weak, and so, so helpless. Scared. Skulley J. Liberty was _scared_. Kid's odd expression - that of boredom remained, but behind the glint of his crimson eyes lurked an unfathomable murderous light that caused the blood to freeze in her veins.

She swallowed.

There was something very wrong with having someone like Kid done an expression that reminded Liberty of Jillian. Kid was an expressive man, loud and violent. To see such a dramatic change in demeanor completely threw her off and that was what scared her. This quiet, bored-like Kid whose stare bored into her with homicidal ferocity_ terrified _her.

One minute. He stared. Liberty felt her stomach curdle.

Two minutes. His stare intensified. She nearly started squealing in fright.

Three minutes. He _moved. _Lib expected him to move away, but to her utter mortification, Kid leaned in further, dragging the tip of his nose down her right cheek, before leaning in further till all she saw from her position was his flaming red mass of wet hair. _Oh Spirits!_ The sensation of him breathing hot moist air over her ear had her stomach trembling with -_ Noooo!_ - heat and fear. Spirits, it felt like her _whole_ body was shaking!

An asphyxiating, deliberate pause ensued, in which Lib had to endure the unsettling and intimate torture of Kid's lips ghosting over her ear with every breath he took.

"_Swallow it_, " he hissed acrimoniously into her ear.

_Everything_ ground to a painstaking halt.

_He knew_ her mind whispered in horror a second later. _He knew she was waiting._ Was that why he'd been staring so hard at her? Was that why _he'd_ been waiting!? Because she'd been waiting till he released her so she could spit at him again!

Slowly, reluctantly she swallowed her ammo of saliva.

With a "Tch" of irritation Kid sat back on Liberty's hips, casually grinding his own before he settled, and regarded her with an agitated gaze. Or rather he regarded _her lips _with an agitated gaze.

Liberty noticed the direction of Kid's gaze and immediately started squirming in protest - she remembered the atrocity that was a human kiss and wanted nothing more than to disappear into the mattress. She had no way of knowing that Kid was thinking along the very same lines, though he was contemplating something far more diabolical than simply forcing Skulley J. Liberty to accept a kiss.

Kid was no fool and he recalled that entire encounter with unerring clarity. He also recalled what happened after he forced his kiss on her. _(Rage in glowing teal eyes. A primal fury.) _Oh, he remembered alright. Hence, his bout of staring; for the past two or so minutes he had watched the strange but captivating process of his dragon's eyes changing. Teal bleeding back into brown-teal.

That's when Kid was hit with an epiphany. The teal was a warning, it was something else taking over, something that wasn't_ afraid _of violence. Something darker, more predatory than what his dragon usually was. He would have to watch her eyes carefully when _educating_ her as it seemed to come out in full force when he made a move that bordered on the sexual. Tch, his dragon was getting rather _complicated_. But that was okay, he enjoyed the thrill of a challenge.

A ghost of a smirk flickered over his face. Another challenge would be getting her to say his name again; darkened red eyes shuttered briefly as he recalled how his name had sounded falling from her lips. He wanted to hear it again, hungered for it even. Kid wondered how it would sound if he made her gasp it, moan it, scream it…

Liberty did not like Kid's staring. _Not at all! _And now that he wasn't invading her bubble _as much _she could finally _breathe_ and _think. _Escape. It blared with neon light in her mind. She was all for it, however it was easier _thought_ than done. Her attempt with the dagger had been a failure and she'd paid for it with two broken bones and one stabbed palm that was_ still _giving her grief. Thank the Spirits it was just a flesh wound, yet the warm wet feel of her blood on her hand and wrist was something that nearly sent Lib into sick convulsions. _Ewgh!_

She could not_ stand _the sight or smell of her own blood!

_But focus!_ her mind screamed sternly! _Find a way to escape! Think of Ace!_

Ace.

The execution. _Oh Spirits!_

She had to _move. _Now.

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**Location unknown**

Unseen by humans and creatures alike existed a massive structure riddled with a confusing but intricate labyrinth of caverns. All but a few led to the Lair. One of two. Deep within this edifice, hidden from the greedy eyes of mortals, loomed a vast inner dale. It's massive walls shone with amber, red, green, blue, yellow, pink, orange, and deep purple. The cave itself glittered with an array of shimmering stones which were deeply set in the rocky walls, though they varied in shapes and sizes, all glistened with an unmistakable illuminance that set them apart from normal gems.

To any human it was a literal cave of wonders, littered with emeralds, amethysts, garnets, opals, rubies, sapphires, topaz, diamonds, and many more. Like a delicate spider's web slender veins of soft glowing indigo branched between the gleaming jewels to form a complex but divine collage of splendor. The brilliant lines of blue chased each other all over the walls till they thickened in width close to the ceiling where huge crystalline stalactites dwelled. The glowing azure fingers wrapped around the base of each stalactite giving off the illusion that the crystal itself glowed a bright baby blue.

It was a very welcoming, warm light. Soft and easy on the eyes. Eyes that were usually very, very sensitive.

Down below stretched out a vast, rolling field, with long, fragile, green blades of grass which bathed in the phantom light of the stones above. Among the plains luminous butterflies of various hues flittered prettily about landing on a wellspring of flowers scattered around in droves and patches. Snapdragons, Gerbera daisys, Mums, wandering jew, Peonies, Calla Lilies, Gardenias, and scores of other flowers dotted the giant meadow.

Flora wasn't the only plant life in the cavern; trees, trees of lofty height dominated the field alongside the flowers, and though they towered over their more colorful counterparts they were no less beautiful. Emerald green and blue boughs reached their leafy limbs up toward the glowing ceiling, but even the trees as tall as they were weren't able to touch the tips of the hanging stalactites.

Underneath the trees snaked a wide creek that wound around trunks wildly before disappearing down into the earth. It bubbled merrily as it ran its course through the towering woods feeding hungry roots and generally filling the air with a light scent of fresh water. The quiet gurgle of its current gave the otherwise silent dale a serene atmosphere.

Enveloped within a flower-strewn glade lounged a small canine. It's smooth coat gleamed a rich gold that darkened slightly near the scruff. White fur covered the throat and chest and curled around the furry muzzle to end in a thin crooked stripe between the eyes. The same white fur circled all four paws as well. Floppy ears hung down on either side of an adorable droopy face, a face that could only belong to that of a beagle.

A beagle named Honey.

And right now Honey was enjoying the cool grass against her fur; she loved rolling in the long blades, especially when her _mommy _wasn't in the Lair. Mocha eyes set in an Eeyore face flickered over the tranquil paradise her mommy had made as her nest, though her mommy's true nest loomed some sixty feet in front of her near the west most wall. An ear twitch, and an inhale told the beagle her friend and Lair-mate was currently snoozing away in an enormous pile of stolen gold and other precious materials.

Typical dragon.

Honey snuffled cutely, a paw coming up to rub at the blade of annoying grass that had snuck its way up her nose. Another ear twitched unconsciously; a few gold pieces had shifted. Morio was waking up. Honey found this strange since the vain, temperamental bright-breasted wyvern usually slept all day. Being a dog Honey was afforded extra senses that were above the norm so it was only right that she'd sense with visceral accuracy that something was wrong.

All of a sudden a cacophony of upended gold and silver bombarded Honey's sensitive ears, it was Morio struggling his way from his warm burrow deep inside the mound of precious metals. When he broke through his small jaws - for bright-breasted wyverns were human sized, therefore quite tiny - let out an enraged screech that echoed around the massive cave. Honey was up on her paws immediately.

Morio was _pissed_.

And the only thing that could infuriate Morio was if someone or something messed with mommy.

Mommy.

No one messed with mommy!

Honey sped over to the big pile of gold, brown eyes trained on Morio who was flapping his vibrant green and black wings frantically. Standing at only 6'2'' fully elongated Morio was the average size for a Bright-breasted wyvern which were seen as ideal pets in Gifted culture. They were surly creatures with an extreme vain streak. This famous vainglory was perfect because once a bright-breasted wyvern bonded with a Gifted it literally became obsessed with that particular dragon. Hailed as good companions for new hatchlings Gifted parents sought to match up their clutches with the small pet-dragons.

_SQUAWK! SQUAWK! SQUAWK!_

Honey rumbled in response, then bolted off around the side of the gold nest. A moment later the beagle appeared carrying a…harness. Attached to said harness was a pouch…

Morio flapped his wings in agitation before kicking off into the air. He circled around over Honey three times before landing, clawed feet scraping over rough stone. Black and green wings fidgeting irritably the Bright-breasted wyvern quickly helped Honey into her harness by using his dexterous tail. A cinch there, a buckle here, pull the strap through, tighten the leather, and they were finished.

Tongue lolling out the side of her mouth Honey stood at the ready. Morio recognized the stance and took off with a kick of his hind-legs, and in a flurry of flapping wings he began picking up speed as he flew around in sharp circles. A couple of minutes he did this - picking up momentum - before he suddenly swooped down, claws snagging the hand-holds, specially made for his feet, in Honey's harness, and rocketed out through the cave entrance with his Lair-mate soaring underneath him.

Around bends, sharp turns, over rocky pillars, through false walls, up tunnels, down tunnels, up again, sideways, up, up, up, and up they went. Then they hit the upper Lair, and it was over magma pits, sheer cliffs, icy chasms, up the volcanic shaft, and out into the dusky sky.

Instinctively focusing his synergy Morio aptly bypassed the powerful barrier concealing the Lair. It was like passing through a strong web, creepy, ancient magicks that clung to the place; it always left a residue upon his Mind Flow, a sort of homing beacon so he could easily find the hidden place again.

But that wouldn't be for a while. His companion had sounded off the Wail. Which meant she was distressed. It disgusted Morio that such an_ ugly _sound had been forced out of his companion. How _dare_ such a sound come from his partner!

He would just have to maim whoever caused her distress. Black scaly lips pulled taut over razor-sharp fangs in a hair-rising snarl. Furious, he was_ furious. _And he was confident that his Lair-mate was angry too. Honey hated it when someone bothered her _mommy. _If the Bright-breasted wyvern hadn't been so revolted and aggravated over the Wail he would've rolled his slit eyes at the title.

But as it was Morio was too hell-bent on pumping his wings faster to get to the Tri-horn's location. For only being the size of a stupid human Morio and his breed were very swift flyers. He was just happy that, at least, his hyper companion was still in the Grand Line. That meant he would be upon her in just a couple of minutes.

And woe befall those who were in her vicinity.

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Liberty cursed her incommodious position for the forty-seventh time.

What manner of _beast_, what _breed of asshole _pinned down a girl like some poor trapped animal! Not that_ she _was a poor animal; back in her Lair she had heaps of gold and jewels that would put the richest nobles to shame, but that was besides the point. Skulley J. Liberty was fed up with Kid's proximity. She was utterly_ done!_

Done. Done. Done!

Instead of freaking out like she _sorely wanted to_ Liberty wrestled the damn heat down and concentrated on an escape plan. Though that wasn't coming to fruition anytime soon because…_Did the bastard have to stare at her so intently and so close too! Argh! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Gah! Hate you! Hate you! __**Hate. You!**_

She needed a distraction. _Obviously. _

Spirits, she missed that dagger. It was the only victory keeping her hope alive - the silver scratch down his goggles. _Where did you go dagger! I miss you! We need to scratch his stupid red eyes out this time!_

Oh, she could wish. If only Kid hadn't knocked the blade somewhere over yonder. But she needed a distraction.

The only problem with that was…she couldn't _think _properly with his _royal dumbass self _scrutinizing her like she was going to suddenly sprout a thousand heads Hydra style! _Spirits, what am I! A bug? No, you jackass! I'm not! Look at your own face for a change! I need to save Ace! Ugh, why can't you be like a Lumina dragon! Blah! _

She raged like this for several minutes with the occasional groan of discomfort when Kid decided he wanted to study her eyes up close and personal. Liberty had _never_ felt so exposed in her life! The entire time she was forced to submit to the 'examination' her heart had been the only noise in her small, frozen, breathless world. It worsened when those frightening red eyes fell on her lips for the second time…and _stayed_ there.

Self-conscious didn't even_ begin _to cover the feeling swirling inside her. Lib's only thought: _Please, don't kiss me. Please, don't kiss me. Please, don't kiss me! Please, please don't kiss me!_

Her racing heart nearly collapsed when he started leaning forward.

Closer. Liberty squirmed incessantly, panic pulsing through her like a hurricane.

Closer. Kid's eyes honed in on her lips. She squealed in fright.

Closer. His lips were inches away. She could feel the heat from his breath.

Closer. _SQUAWK!_

Both Gifted and Supernova froze. One in shock and one in confusion. Kid narrowed his eyes - that wasn't a familiar sound made from an animal native to Sabaody Archipelago. _Then what the fuck was it!_ The sound had been close too. And angry. Very, very angry. His lips thinned irritably; he hated being interrupted! He'd wanted to kiss her, to taste her again, but life had to intervene.

_SQUAWK! __**SQUAWK!**_

Kid sneered darkly, murderous crimson eyes slanting to glare out the windows. If he found whatever the fuck was making that damn noise…

Liberty's eyes widened; now was her chance!

_GO! GO! GO! GO!_

Viciously shoving the shocked thought of _I-know-that-screech!_ down Liberty took full advantage of Kid's preoccupied state. It would hurt like hell but desperate times called for desperate measures. And she was under a very tight, very dangerous time limit so a little(a lot)of pain was warranted. Ace's like was in jeopardy. Plus, Liberty had a miniature Jillian in her mind hissing about how much of an idiot she was for stalling, wasting time, and not summoning her tail in the first place.

_Well, sorry! I had an insane human molesting me! IN A STUPID, FREAKING TOWEL! _Take that diminutive Jill._ Ha. I win._

Gritting her teeth Liberty sunk into her Mind Flow. The synergy inside her pulsed, focused around her backside, and… _Ow!_

With a burst of pale light, clenched tail muscles, and a lot of pain Lib was able to unseat Kid from her hips by forcing her tail to suspend both of them a few inches, just enough to shove him off her.

The rapid motion sent Kid flomping down on the mattress with a surprised growl. Lib didn't stay on the bed for another second. Yipping, the Tri-horn rolled off the edge to land on the wooden floor like a cat. Flicking her tail out she sprang up only to shriek and roll when she had to dodge a very pissed off Kid. Adrenaline roaring through her Lib's eyes darted for the metal slab of a door but bypassed it in favor of the windows.

_Yes! _

Instinct didn't let her hesitate.

Arms spread out she bolted for the windows across from Kid's bed while simultaneously summoning her wings. Heart pounding, blood roaring, Liberty felt as if time slowed down as she moved towards freedom. For a short eternity nothing but the flapping of her wings echoed in her ears.

Time resumed abruptly.

With a humongous jump she cleared the dresser, crashed through glass, felt it spray over her wings, back, and face, and then she was in open air. Whooping in exaltation Liberty angled her body north; she would've left Kid's ship immediately had she not glanced on the deck to see _her pet dragon and her dog _in the grips of attacking Kid's crew. Liberty would have laughed at the sheer hilarity of the scene had she not been so utterly horrified by it.

_HER DOG _was attacking pirates! Kid pirates! No! No, no, no!

Morio was fine. She didn't have to worry about him, but Honey was another barrel of fish! Instantly, protective _mommy _instincts reared their violent heads - _NO ONE HURTS__** MY **__DOG! - _and Lib was tucking her wings tightly against her sides for maximum velocity.

Those pirates never saw it coming.

…

Eustass "Captain" Kid had broken a new record. He'd gone from contemplating a kiss to homicidal rage in under 0.5 seconds. Standing in his empty bedroom the enraged captain let out a furious bellow. Severely incensed because one: his dragon, his fucking dragon had escaped, two: she'd fucking taken out his windows, and three: he was still fucking standing around like a fool!

Grinding his teeth to the point his jaw started instantly aching Kid stalked towards his dented door - _Fucking piece of shit!_ - and roared, "_REPEL!_"

Not even slamming the door open in the captain's cabin gave him any pleasure.

What he saw next had him blowing his top clean off.

There was half his crew, drunk or hangover, and they were flopping around on deck engaged in what seemed to be a _tug o' war _with a…miniature dragon and a dog. The fact that the dragon-dog team were hurling them around like loose cannon fodder only compounded Kid's temper. _What. The. Fuck. Was. This!_

The muscle above his left eye began twitching excessively. His fingers dug bloody groves into his palms.

What the _hell_ had possessed him to send Killer on that errand before he'd entered his cabin! The thought just added to his rage. He was shaking with it…along with all the loose metal on the ship.

Blazing red eyes suddenly locked on to something that was moving very, very fast. The teal hair cinched it; Skulley J. Liberty. And she was flying straight for the dog and the dragon.

And then she was bulldozing into his crew like they were cups of fucking _jello! _Just like that. He'd been standing there for five seconds and she'd covered over four hundred feet. _What the fuck!_

She was making him_ and _his crew look like a bunch of _idiots! _

He released a bellow of rage as he hopped the railing on the Quarterdeck, nevermind the fact that he was bare-chested and still in a towel. He was _out for blood. _

Stalking towards the group like the wrath of God was with him, Kid didn't acknowledge it or he was just too incensed to care that bits of metal were reacting to his temper; his power whirled around him like a hurricane, and it didn't take long for his crew to notice the signs. Every one of them stiffened, turned, paled, and ran for cover.

Their captain was on a rampage. If you got caught in the crossfire than it was your own damn fault for not being smart enough to move your ass in time. With Kid this angry they were all of the same mind: _there was no way the Wyvern Sister was escaping their captain when he was this pissed. _

Oh, but Skulley J. Liberty was riding the waves of adrenaline and freedom and fury - _THEY ATTACKED MY DOG!_ - and had no plans whatsoever to land herself in Kid's molesting grip anytime soon. Yet, she wasn't so drunk on her self liberation as to be foolish; if she stayed one more moment things would get ugly, and with Honey and Morio in the equation…

Liberty grimaced and bolted across the main deck. She was hyper-aware of Kid quickly approaching her position, the magnetic fields set around his ship were going absolutely wild with his presence, thus her avoidance of them. Six feet - almost there! Five feet - dodge that spear. Four feet - fly over the crates. Thre—

_WATCH OUT!_

Screaming instincts had Liberty dropping to her knees and rolling_ in seconds_. Moments later she was wrapping her wings around herself in an attempt to blot out the deafening crash happening right over her head. Peeking around a smooth scaled pinion Liberty _blanched. _Kid had thrown an anchor at her! What in Verdaron was his problem!

Unfurling from her protective fetal position Lib hissed while brushing off wooden debris. Wide but highly exasperated slit eyes turned to glare at an equally if not more so angry Kid. "_Y-you_ are_ such _an _ASSHOLE! _An anchor? An _ANCHOR! __**Really! **_What the verdaron is your prob_– Eeckk!_" And… she was dodging the anchor _again._

A quelling glance thrown over her shoulder had Honey sitting on her hunches; there was _no way in Verdaron _Lib was letting her baby near a psychopath and his psychotic anchor of doom. How long Kid had her running, flying, and generally wasting energy flew right over Liberty's head, but a saving grace came in the form of another enraged participant.

Lib would've collapsed right then and there had she not been surrounded by watchful Kid pirates when Morio - _I love you so much! _- broadsided Kid like a battering ram gone rabid. With a loud _umfgh! _Kid was thrown off his feet by a hundred and seventy pounds of surly dragon flesh. Morio squawked in triumph before roaring at a stunned but thankful Skulley J. Liberty _to get a move on!_

Brown-teal eyes widening to saucers at the snarled rebuke the Tri-horn swiftly winged over to where Honey anxiously waited, snatched her up in a tight embrace, and promptly sprinted for the Bow of the ship. Morio leapt into the air in response to his companion's fleet-footed motion; he was conscious of Liberty's intention, so he quickened his wingbeats to get in front of her. He would need to grab Honey.

The ship suddenly jerked, tipped slightly. All the Kid pirates who were present whitened sickly in fearful disbelief. There was their captain's coveted crew member and she was fleeing like the hounds of Hell were after her. But that's not what had them nearly sick to their stomachs in shock…

Her human form was distorting, elongating, the wings her arms had morphed into were growing in size, and she was _still on their ship! _

Kid's ship buckled under the weight of a transforming Tri-horn wyvern, and it was all the Kid pirates could do but to grab on to something as the ship's bow dipped down dangerously close to the surf, the sound of wood and metal groaning in protest loud in their ears. Giant wings spread wide and beat once, twice which sent the sails of Kid's ship stretching taut on their frames.

Roaring out in jubilation Skulley J. Liberty used the skull figurehead to launch herself into the air, a guttural laugh shaking her massive chest at hearing the shocked scream ringing out down below. She hoped Kid's ship sank with all the water sluicing between the rails. She'd used just enough weight to level the bow of his stupid ship with the water below - _hope enough water got in to drown the molesting psychotic piece of lickspittle shit! Gah, I hope your anchor crushes you!_

With mighty wing-strokes Lib quickly gained altitude, it had been too long since she'd stretched out her wings. The soft caress of the clouds upon her hide was a welcome balm, and flying did a great deal in calming her pounding heart. Fully extended from tail to snout Liberty relaxed into a 2-beat wing-stroke; cruising speed. Sighing through her nostrils the Tri-horn turned her horned head, large teal eyes immediately locking on the excitedly wiggling form of her baby, Honey.

This time Morio did roll his eyes, but he let their oncoming interaction pass. He was just happy that his companion wasn't wearing an ugly expression anymore. Puffing out his bright chest arrogantly Morio curled tighter around one of Liberty's back spikes and commenced grooming his ruffled scales. His long tail remained coiled around Honey who was going _bonkers_ over her_ mommy._

Nosing a scale that had knocked itself out-of-place when he'd rammed into that revolting human with red hair Morio huffed when the crooning started. Here it comes, he thought was barely contained vexation.

"_Who's my baby girl? Who? Yes, you are! Yes, you are! Oh, wiggle butt! Wiggle butt! Hon na na na! Oh, Hon na na na!_"

Morio snorted. _Spirits, they never change._

¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸

Back on the ship of the Kid pirates lurked a deafening, yawning silence.

Wooden debris shifted, then exploded out in a violent cacophony. Kid prowled out of the destruction a second later, his face darker than it had ever been. Eyes that glinted with black demonic rage scoured the deck taking in the waterlogged look, as well as the pale faces of his crew.

She. Was. _Gone._

He seethed silently, the intensity of his rage too much to vocalize. His crew didn't dare move; motion of any kind could garner the attention of the beast that was Kid's temper. So they stood in silence their eyes carefully diverted away from a pair of hawk-like red eyes that smoldered with an unhealthy amount of homicidal fury.

_He would bring her __**back. **_Even if he had to _tear apart _the seven seas, _he would bring her back._

_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_

Sonneillon B. Jillian drifted in and out of consciousness, her hyper-sensitive ears panging with every nameless noise that flitted into her head. Strange sounds assaulted her hearing but she couldn't match motion to thought or thought with motion. It was a grey fog of indistinguishable gibberish that oddly sickened her or was she already sick? Numbly, she could sense something…something inside of her, it was_ making _her sick. It was the source of her limbo; this white plane of noisy torment that went on for _miles. _Painful miles.

Garbled emotion occasionally lent color to the dismal prison she found herself in, but it was distorted, and Jillian only confused herself more with trying to decipher the jumble. Though, her attention was awarded by an intense dizzy spell that sent her spiraling uncontrollably through the white plane; she never tried it again after that.

There was pain, whether it was from whatever was wrecking havoc on her body or from her pale penitentiary was unknown, however it was_ agonizing. _At times she felt like someone was sitting on her lungs. In those moments she couldn't move, couldn't breathe; it was as if the place had been deoxygenated. Other times, she would attempt to open her eyes - _were they really eyes? _- but they wouldn't budge and if they did all she got for it was a slash of excruciating pain.

She could hear voices. They were apart of the noise that was her constant companion. She also could feel herself, with a sort of twisted visceral sense, being moved around, though she had no energy nor the will to resist.

"_Captain…captain…she's showing… signs of…stabilizing…_," an unfamiliar voice said right above her. Captain? Were they talking about her? Who was this captain? Roger? _Roger?_ _Roger, get me out of this place!_

"_…R-ro…R-rog…_," she tried to say but her vocal cords just wouldn't produce the sound - _everything hurt so much. _She felt like she was drowning on the inside.

"_Shh…my wyvern…don't talk…you need to rest…_," a voice like smooth silk breathed by her ear, it strangely did not irritate her sensitive hearing. Jillian tried to shake her head when the voice registered - _can't rest! Gotta keep vow! -_ but all she managed was one painful turn.

"_…an't…gotta keep…vow…Can't let…'nother one…__**die**__…_," she mumbled brokenly, her voice cracking at the end. She felt a warm hand brush through sweat slick hair and linger on her temple. It presence was comforting. Safe, almost. The pressure seemed to say _you're not alone. _

"_…Go to sleep, Jillian…_," the smooth voice returned, the tone indiscernible but oddly cold. Strained. Listlessly, she wondered why they sounded like that. Was something wrong? She felt someone lift her up slowly and then there were arms - strong arms - wrapped around her; the last thing she felt before the smooth soothing voice faded and Jillian fell into unconsciousness all over again.

The next time she regained a modicum of awareness there were more voices around her. This time, however, they were panicked, flighty bits of noise. Painful noise. Always painful but for that one_…_

"_…If she rejects the…Naloxone…again…we could…lose…her…_," one voice exclaimed tensely.

"_…She's been on the Dialysis machine…for five…hours_," intoned a voice that rung tight with agitation.

"_How long until we can… administer again?_" questioned yet another voice, this one hopeful sounding.

"_…Captain!_" A voice hollered frantically. Quick footsteps. The slamming of a door.

"_…showing signs of…tachycardia, hypoxia, and…and…Shit! She's going into respiratory arrest_," and another voice -_ useless, painful noise! _- said until they all sounded the same to her.

Shortly after that there was only dazzling, horrible pain. Pain and blinding whiteness and noise. It was_ everywhere! _She couldn't escape it. She needed _help! Help, someone! Help!_

"_…Get her on the ventilator immediately; intubate via trachea. Reconnect her to the dialysis machine, and use the other arm. I want a dose of 6.1 microg of Naloxone ready when she stabilizes_," the smooth voice ordered with calm authority.

Quiet but hurried action.

"_…Her heart's slowing down…She's not…fighting us…Reacts better…around…captain…Weird_," an extremely hazy voice broke through the agonizing mist.

"_Give me the syringe_," demanded the smooth voice. Jillian tensed on whatever soft thing she was lying on and felt a painful prick in the soft flesh of her elbow. _No, no more pain! _She could not take anymore pain!

"_…Wait, no! Don't-_" she screamed desperately.

And then everything, even the white, faded into darkness.

_¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ °º¤ø„¸_

**Marine HQ**

"My compliments, Fleet Admiral. A most daring excursion you've undergone and with such impressive results."

Lost in contemplation, Sengoku had not heard or seen anyone enter his office for the door hadn't creaked on its hinges. He masked his preoccupation by shuffling some folders aside that shouldn't be seen by lower ranks; never mind who was talking to him; they would see the action as inconsequential and write it off most likely. "Hm, yes… it was a successful exploit led by one of my admirals and his vice admiral," he murmured, face lifting to look upon the source of the words.

The speaker was a stranger… A man of indeterminate age, broad and tall, with dull gray hair that fell in straight lank locks around lean, chiseled features. The nameless visitor took a couple steps forward and spared a glance around the office before turning back to him. His eyes, Sengoku noted quietly, reflected his hair, pale and gray. Ashen. His whole visage was ashen, dead seeming. His clothes were…_odd._ A sleek silver fabric he didn't recognize. They hinted at wealth but their styling was unfamiliar, and no amount of study alluded to the man's origins.

Then the gray eyes fixed upon him and for an instant he was reminded of a lizard's, cold and unblinking; something buried deep in his subconscious could sense the alien power behind them, and an existence that no single lifetime could contain. His words carried with them a foreign flavor Sengoku had never heard before. That in itself was strange; the fleet admiral had heard many different accents and dialects from all over the seven seas, and his memory was a sharp thing that hardly forgot an island's chosen speech. If Sengoku was bothered by the unnamed accent of his impromptu guest he didn't show it.

The Fleet Admiral made a point of knowing the faces and names of all those who frequented(even if just occasionally)the HQ. He believed in constant vigilance. No man or woman should ever be in the marine headquarters whom he could not identify. The fact that he could not match a name to this man was slightly disconcerting.

The man smiled, and there was a hint of dry amusement at its edges, as if he sensed his consternation and took pleasure in it. "Your reputation as Fleet Admiral does not do your deeds justice."

Sengoku stared. "You are not a marine," he stated coldly.

"Indeed, I am not," he agreed easily, "but a guest you would welcome nonetheless."

Something about those words sent a warning chill down his spine. For a moment Sengoku entertained the thought of escorting the stranger from the premises, but the words or rather their inflection had him pausing. "You wish to impart something?" he questioned, never one to beat around the bush. A curt, barely there, nod acknowledged his insight. "You may call me Xanthir."

Sengoku frowned. "Not your true name, I gather."

The thin lips quirked lightly. "It is the only one I use that holds any significance."

"Fair enough, I suppose." Sengoku allowed himself to settle into his chair a little more heavily. "By your earlier words I turst you know who my name."

"That would be correct, Fleet Admiral. Your name, your title, your occupation, and your…_situation_."

Sengoku immediately stiffened. It took all of his composure to keep his expression neutral. _Careful. This is a stranger who might have nothing of value to convey, _he told himself._ Until he proves he is more than that, give him nothing._

Subtle accusation. "You must have ears in the marines, to know of such things."

Something akin to annoyance flitted across those serpentine features, but it passed so quickly Sengoku thought he'd imagined the emotion. "Possible but not probable."

_What does he mean by that?_ The question whispered in the back of his mind. Was he saying that he _could_ have an insider leaking information but he chose not to?

"_Do **you**_ have connections in the marines? Is that how you know about our situation? We do not take kindly to being possibly compromised…Xanthir."

Dark gray eyes narrowed. "There are other ways in the world to retrieve information. I find using a…mole to be rather distasteful. _Don't you?_"

Sengoku's frown deepened. This interaction…he couldn't see where it was going, and that made him wary. "Then what are you offering?"

Again the flicker of a smile. Not a warm thing, that expression, but cold and reptilian around the edges. There was something lurking behind it, yet Sengoku couldn't quite but his finger on the feeling. Though it was unsettling all the same. "I am offering to resolve your _centuries old_ problem. It is a known fact that the world-class criminals known only as the Wyvern Sisters are assumed to make an appearance during Gol D. Ace's execution. The marines are ill-equipped to deal with such…magnificent creatures. Their path of destruction over the decades has been a constant thorn, no?"

He could feel his eyebrows inching towards his hairline. Arrogance? Over-confidence? Maybe. Or just plain ignorance? It was hard to say. He could not read this Xanthir. "You _are_ aware of what they are, aren't you? And you say you are better _equipped_ than us? Hmph, you seem very certain that whatever power you may possess will stop them. In the last three decades the Wyvern Sisters have managed to kill off over four-hundred-thousand marines, including two past admirals, and you say you can handle them."

A nod. Sengoku sighed and rubbed at his forehead tiredly. Was this man serious? The most the marines could do when the Wyvern Sisters' were sighted was contain the damage and hopefully redirect the beasts with haki. It was their only known weakness, but it was unreliable since all the dragon's had to do was dive into the ocean and they were as good as new. Water was like an elixir to them.

Out of sheer disbelief Sengoku was sorely tempted to end their strange interaction but…

But what if he wasn't lying? What if there was something in the world that could stop them? It was a heady thought. Also an unlikely one. Yet, time was short; Ace's execution was only three days away and he was running out of options. The only question was… Was he that desperate yet? Was he at the end of his rope?

Though, just the mere thought of possessing some power - whatever Xanthir thought could effect them - that could even the playing field had Sengoku shifting in his seat in anticipation and hope. Was there truly something out there…?

But he simply couldn't take just his word. Words were cheap, anyway. "You cannot expect me to just take you by your word? I need proof, hard proof, that what you're offering isn't just a joke," he stated gravely.

The pale, lizard-like eyes flickered with amusement again. "Shall I give a _demonstration?_" The room suddenly seemed twenty degrees colder, and the fleet admiral had to staunch a shiver that wanted to streak up his spine. There was no wind…

His guest abruptly started forward, his strides eerily reminiscent of a predator stalking its prey, until he stopped right before his desk. A pale hand rose till it hovered over a glass paperweight and paused. Lightless gray eyes leveled on him then. "Do you mind?"

Sengoku stared a moment before nodding with wary caution. Why were his muscles suddenly so tense? And what was this strange urge to move away…

Gray eyes lowered slowly and the cold atmosphere thickened, but it was no normal chill.

The Fleet Admiral sat quietly, expectantly, in his chair black eyes trained on the hovering hand. His gaze soon dropped, widened, and widened more. For the paperweight was…_decaying_…right before his eyes. The heavy piece of glass was losing shape, breaking down, and turning to…ash. _Ash_. Just like that it clicked in his mind. That unnerving chill that lacked wind or substance. It was- it was…

Sengoku went very still.

It was death.

_…This man…_

Lightless, _lifeless_ gray eyes locked on his with disturbing intensity. A cold, heartless smile. "Do we have an accord, then?" _Foolish human._

* * *

A/N: What do you guys think? Let me know! **Now!** Right _now_, before the thoughts fade from your mind! DON'T LET THE BOX SCARE YOU! You can do it! Okay, so we're seeing some Jillian there at the end. And who is this mysterious Xanthir! O.O

We are slowly approaching the start of the plot! Yay!

Minions...you've _defeated_ me! I GIVE UP on the review expectancy thing. That's right. My patience hath deserted thy author. Review at your will. *Sulks quietly in a corner* Not my fault I got trigger happy with the upload button.

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And next in line, **SHOUT OUTS!**

**Stray Child: **_Thank you for reviewing! :3 Interesting idea, but Roger actually wasn't their captain. Hehe. And, well, I try to keep it original and engaging. I hope it keeps being original too because we have a loooonnngg way to go. Very long. _

**brokenmaelstrom: **_Hiya! New reader! Thanky for the review! XD Makes me absolutely crazy with happiness! And inspiration! Jillian is coming up! Don't you worry. As for AD sticking to canon...hmm, I will be weaving in and out of certain points. Some things I'll keep the came while others will be completely cut out. And I guess it depends on if you can handle sadism and mind games(Law) or violence and cruelty(Kid). Different people react towards different personalities. _

**Velonica14:** _I adore long chapters too! And well I probably couldn't write a short chapter to save my life. Plus AD will be a long story. Hell, we haven't even hit the first arc yet. And Ace isn't dying. HELL TO THE NO! No! Not in my story! So Ace fans...breath easy._

**Perry The** **Canary:** _Love the name! It's catchy. Lol. Thank you! I work very hard to keep both aspects in line. I would never forgive myself if I wrote a story with OOC. Can't STAND OOC! _

**Doodleshmoodle:** _I am awesome. *Preens happily*_

**Spacezero:** _...We all know what's on your mind...*sniggers* But, hell, it was on mine too. Hehe. But in this I will not be rushing the romance. Our two couples will hate each other for a while. _

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan:** _Hm, Four days? I think it was four days of research and contemplation. I actually studied Magneto's power from X-men since it was basically the same. I felt like I was back in my engineering class! Lol. I wish they released more on Kid in the Manga! We know Law, but where's Kid! Argh! Story of my life!_

**Anon:** _I don't think I've ever read a review that started out so...so polite. And ended in a threat. Consider me sorely warned. Lol. I don't think Liberty and Jillian would like being cooped up in a jar all day...Liberty would complain and Jillian would most likely glare at you while seething and plotting your death._

**Room Shambles: **_Wow, the fact that you made an account to review on my story with a name - partly - is pure awesomeness. Your starting to become a regular! *Pumps fist excitedly* Always love those! Ah, and you are one of the few who're already sensing the first big 'shift' in AD. Yup, you guessed it Marineford is the true kick off for the plot. Can't wait for that arc! We're almost there! Oddly, the uploading thing wouldn't let me put the period in your name! Fanfic is weird!  
_

**XylimLinyx:** _Ah, yes, Liberty is a one of a kind random person. Hide your doors...especially if their metal. I'm happy that you're happy! Always love to hear people are enjoying my hard work. XD Oh and don't worry it only gets better!_

**kshi1205:** _Oh we got a smart one here! You're already ahead of everyone! Love One Piece...but I'd have to be insane to actually go there. If...IF I actually encountered Law FOR REAL he wouldn't be my favorite character and I'd be running from him not to him. I like living. *Shudders* Law is fucking hot, experimentation isn't. Lol._

**ThexWhitexPhoenix:** _ACE! I could NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER kill him. Seeing it once killed ME! Consider me mentally scarred. Akainu your ass is going **down!**_

**little-long-toad:** _It took me days to develop his power! Ugh! It was a pain in the ass! As for the content seeming different...it probably is. Writing Kid takes a whole other mindset than when I'm writing Law. I mean they are completely different in personality! I feel like I'm writing a different story with each. I still love 'em though. XD__  
_

**EustassKidd0203:** _Did you love this one more? Lol!_

**10th Squad 3rd Seat:** _Don't mess with pops. Period. I get a very strong trojan war feeling from Marineford. Ace can be Helen...He is hot...literally. *Sniggers*_


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